Boghead Coal

Boghead Coal (TORBANITE or BITUMENITE), a seam met with in the Carboniferous system in the lands of Torbanehill, Bathgate, Scotland. It occurs in a regularly stratified manner, and is closely related to canal coal. Very rich in volatile hydrocarbons, it was largely used in making Paraffin (q.v.) and Gas (q.v.), but is no longer worked in Britain. It is not properly a coal, but rather a bituminous clay or shale, and similar shales are found in various parts of the world.