Coal definition clarifies distinction from charcoal for legal classification and regulatory treatment in statutory and commercial contexts. Coal is a solid, black or blackish mineral fuel found in seams in the earth, formed from carbonized vegetable matter and largely employed as fuel. Charcoal is a black, porous carbonaceous residue produced by charring wood or other vegetable or animal substances in the absence of air. The summary highlights differences in origin, physical form and production process relevant to legal classification.