This volume comprises the invited keynote papers given at the International Symposium on Coal and Coal-bearing Strata held at Royal Holloway and Bedford New College (University of London) from April 8th to 10th 1986. The authors were asked to consider progress in their field over the past 15 years in particular. Some additional contributions were solicited to fill gaps in the coverage. In this volume I have tried to put together a balanced view of the field and where possible asked the authors to use a similar terminology and to make reference to other contributions in the volume. Other contributions at the conference have been published in the Journal of the Geological Society of London. It is hoped that this volume will not only be of interest to researchers but also to lecturers and students alike.
I thank the Geological Society of London, the Geology Department of Royal Holloway and Bedford New College and British Coal for financial help for organizing the conference. I thank Professor A. J. Smith and Miss S. Clay for their support. Finally I thank all the authors for their presentations at the conference and all the referees who undertook the task of reviewing the papers.

Since early in history, mankind has drawn on the earth’s resources of energy to satisfy a variety of needs in daily life. The majority of this energy has traditionally been drawn from the world’s supplies of fossil fuels (coal and petroleum) and, despite developments ш nuclear technology or solar power, this trend is likely to continue well into the forseeabk Future. The mining of coal is an essential component in rhe economy of many countries, both to supply the needs of their own industries and, in some cases, the industries of others less welt endowed with energy resources as well. <...>

Coal is a type of solid-state combustible organic rock, which is transformed from plant remains by complex biochemistry, physical chemistry and geochemistry effects also known as the coal-forming process. Through deposition, coal eventually forms a seam within coal measure strata.

This book arises from a two day international conference held at the Geological Society of London in November 1998. The meeting was organized with the purpose of bringing together sedimentologists, geomorphologists, archaeologists, environmental scientists and environmental managers to discuss recent research and topical issues relating to the interactions between natural processes, morphology and human activities in coastal and estuarine environments. More than 200 delegates, from 16 countries, attended the meeting over the course of the two days, stimulating lively discussion both about basic scientific issues and management implications. The meeting was sponsored by the British Sedimentological Research Group, the British Geomorphological Research Group, and English Heritage, and was also supported by the Environmental Sedimentology Committee of the International Association of Sedimentologists. The editors would like to thank these organizations, together with staff at the Geological Society and numerous daily helpers, especially postgraduate students and others from the University of Reading, for their generous assistance in making the meeting a great success