Is Whitby Jet coal?
Jet is a solid hydrocarbon so as such, geologists would usually classify it as a coal. However, for many years coal petrologists have attempted without success to slot jet into the coal classification system. In order to class jet as a coal, we need to say that it is a generic type of coal in its own right. In many ways the previous attempts to classify jet as coal has hindered our understanding of this material from a geological perspective.
Learn more about the geology of Whitby jet here