You are a geologist assigned to identify possible coal resources in an area of central Asia where little is known about the geology

Question

Preliminary work indicates that area A consists primarily of outcrops of volcanic rocks. Area B contains sedimentary rocks that have been interpreted as forming in a desert. Area C contains sedimentary rocks that probably were deposited along a river delta near a coastline. You have time and money to explore for coal in only one of these regions. Which one do you choose? Explain why you chose the area you did, as well as why you did not choose the other two.
What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

I would choose Area C. Area A consists of volcanic rocks and coal is a type of sedimentary rock. Area contains sedimentary rocks, but the environment was an ancient desert. This implies that the environment did not have an abundance of plants, which are necessary to form coal. Area C is an ancient delta environment with sedimentary rocks. The delta would be an appropriate place for large amounts of vegetation, the source material of coal, and since it is at the coastline, the vegetation could be quickly buried and starved from oxygen. This would be the best choice as it provides the source material and potentially an environment to convert it into coal (needs an environment without oxygen).