Coal resources of Tazewell County, Virginia, 1980

Economically important coal beds of Pennsylvanian age underlie about 96 square miles in the northwestern part of Tazewell County in the southwestern Virginia coal field. Coal in Tazewell County ranges in rank from low-volatile to high-volatile A bituminous and generally increases in rank with depth. On an as-received basis, most of the coal is relatively low in ash and high in heat value. Analyses of trace element and major and minor oxide composition of 22 coal beds in Tazewell County indicate that none of the samples contain significant amounts of either potentially toxic or economically valuable trace elements. Of 60 coal beds in Tazewell County, 37 beds are of sufficient thickness and extent to merit calculation of resources.