coal measures

American  

plural noun

Geology.

1. coal-bearing strata.

2. (initial capital letters) in Europe, a portion of the Carboniferous System, characterized by widespread coal deposits.

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Coal Measures British  

plural noun

1. a series of coal-bearing rocks formed in the upper Carboniferous period; the uppermost series of the Carboniferous system

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Etymology

Origin of coal measures

First recorded in 1655–65

Example Sentences

Fresh-water animals succeeded those of salt water in the swamps that formed the coal measures.

From Earth and Sky Every Child Should Know Easy studies of the earth and the stars for any time and place by Rogers, Julia Ellen

The stage of the earth's history favourable to the formation of coal measures has long gone by.

From Marvels of Scientific Invention An Interesting Account in Non-technical Language of the Invention of Guns, Torpedoes, Submarine Mines, Up-to-date Smelting, Freezing, Colour Photography, and many other recent Discoveries of Science by Corbin, Thomas W.

The existence of another strata, still lower and still better, is presumed, as the alluvial formation, or coal measures, has not yet been passed by boring.

From The History of Peru by Beebe, Henry S.

It is generally largest in lignites, which may sometimes contain 30% or even more, while in the Water in coal. coals of the coal measures it does not usually exceed from 5 to 10%.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 5 "Clervaux" to "Cockade" by Various

The remains of these ancient forests have formed the coal measures, which tell of the most widespread and longest enduring growth of vegetation the world has seen.

From The Geological Story of the Isle of Wight by Hughes, J. Cecil