201. XI. 3IZL15E OF LEBANESE LIGTIT'T'fij. ihe foiegojng investigations clearly indicate that any p r o l o n g future of a Lebanese Lignite Industry cannot be seriously contemplated. Development of the industry to a production s^age of, say, 20,000 tons per annum, lump lignith and briquettes combined, can only be possible during times of war and extreme emergency, when other sources of this type of carbonaceous fuel are unavailable. The reasons for this obscure future can be attributed to many causes. The sales cost of the market- -able product in normal times of peace, is not comparable with that of imported coal, more especially when quality is considered. While admittedly inflation is mainly responsible for the high cost of the Lebanese product, there are other factors which will always tend to keep this figure high, be it in time of war or peace. The deposits are, generally speaking, situated J.n localities to which access is difficult, and in many cases will always only be able to be reached by pack-muls. Again, notor truck will be the only means ever possible of conveying the lignite from the mountain depots to the coastal town or industries situated elsewhere in the Lebanon or Syria, as any future railroad development in these two countries is unlikely. Hence, transport will always be a predominant figure in the costs. The next point for consideration as to the future of Lebanese L i m i t s is that of available tonnage reserves. I n v e s t i g a t i o n has shown that the occurrences are usually the f o» of lenticular bodies. *,ese bodies of lignite, though n u m e r o u s, bave seldom shown any indica i, in e x t e n t. Moreover, they are widely being large m
The Future of Lebanese Lignite. 202. dispersed throughout the country. It is true that some of the deposits examined may prove to be greater in extent if boring were resorted to, but such a procedure would scarcely justify itself in such a mountainous country. In conjunction with the size of the occurrences, the width of 3earn must also be taken Into account. Throughout the Lebanon, the 3earns are invaribly thin, and seldom exceed 3 feet, the average probably being about 17 inches. This presents mining difficulties as already explained, and lowers outputs. perhaps the greatest difficulty of all in establish -ing a market for, at least, some of the available lignite, is the e/er increasing use to which oil-burning appliances are being put in these present times, especially in the towns. It is likely that this type of fuel will spfead to the outside towns and villages, especially if the heating appliances are made available, demonstrations given as to their use, and regular supplies of fuel oil obtainable throughout the country. To-day, and as has been the case for centuries, ood is used extensively as a * 1, *esplte its high cost hoth in small industries and for domestic purposes. It extremely difficult to persuade the users of th., woo, that the heating power of the local lignite or briquette is much greater. «would therefore appear that the use of lignite n + 11 suffer a decline in as a fuel in the Middle East will su.n It did after World War No. 1. The peri same mann e r as it ai.. wh«n present hostilities r,qltion from war to peace w h e n pres trar ansition ir.. s ln 1918, as, will, however, be *1on?er longwi than coase, 0f shipping and n the restoration to normal of VV will also be possible 4- e Such being the case, it is I shipping routes.
2/e Future of Lebanese Lignite. that Lebanese Lignite may have a life of a year or two after peace comes. Beyond that, the use of this lignite as a fuel, is likely to be confined to a few local requirements. - 0 _ *o0o~
Sa b i b l i o g r a p h y R.P. ZDMOFFEN. Geologie du Liban, DUBERTRET. Chef de la Section Geologique, Lebanon, Revue de Geographic Physique et de Geologie Dynarcique : Extract par M, Louis Dubertret, "Srudes sfir les Etate du Levant sous Mandat Francais". (Bulletin du Laboratoire de Geographie Physique de la Faculte des Sciences de L'Universite de Paris). Article - "La Syrie", January 1942. q v Aq«LEl' Director General - Ministry of Publie S. VAS^bLbj. Works, Lebanon,..Short note on Lignite Resources in the Lebanon." 0O0 ooo
jctracted from "Static** j gm^ t a tlstj,q.,s Ifa ^ g - a B - f c g a a l ^ a ij Mandat, rra n n.1., - ncr,.. Note; Extarln.1. naa as froi lq39"onw^rd^ ics at>! the last ones Polished, permitted; onwards no su<* publications were TABLE of IMPORTS ov.coal. ANTHRACITE. BRIQtTBT^EB m - S S M ^ J M O SYRIA -AIID-.THE LEBANON. - 1916 & 1917. RAW COAL. Imported From. Quantity 1937 1916 France - 2,095,000 Germany 21,103,575 7,398,044 Belguim 1,003,640 220,000 Egypt 70,000 Great Britain 11,683,575 7,269;, 030 Low Countries 5,571,^30 - Poland 10,723,472 6,813,080 Turkey 3,157,650 9,601,540 U.S.S.R. - 14,088,788 TOTAL 53,313,342 47,485,482 ANTHRACITE. (k*re ) Germany Belgium Great Britain Poland Turkey U.S.5.R. 1,494,492 430,000 353,990 3,768,072 8,132,100 5,199,483
a cmdlr cnnt.rt. Ik norted From, quantity in Kilo 1937 INTKRACTTS- (Small) B Geraany Belgliua Great Britain Low Countries Poland Turkey 14,411,496 265,626 2,804,000 17,681,933 5,404,822 U.S.S.R. 4,391,070 4,014,100 TOTAL 44,958,947 4,705,120 BRIQUETTES. Germany Belgium Great Britain Palestine Low Countries Turkey U.S.S.R. TOTAL 10,307,341 1,257,500 10,304,315 7,500,000 5,132,027 6,619,316 41,120,579 16,975,074 5,528,060 16,235,200 50,000 5,070,100 43,858,434 COKE France Germany Belgium Egypt Great Britain Palestine Low Countries 641,420 715,000 338,940 581,295 45,000 505,123 92,000 423,220 809,960 569,366 286,519,826,778 2,181,065
Appendix contd, 209.' 3U1"?'ARY. Mature of Fuel Imre >r ted. Quantity In Kilograms.^. 1937 1936 Raw Coal Anthracite (Large) Anthracite (Small) Briquettes Coke TOTAL t^/pric TONS 53,313,342 44,958,947 41,120,579 2,826,778 142,219,646 142.22C 47,485,482 19,378,137 4,705,120 43,858,434 2,181,065 117,608,238 117»& _o0o_ c 0 o
Author Coulter J Name of thesis The occurrence and exploitation of lignite in the Lebanon 1944 PUBLISHER: University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2013 LEGAL NOTICES: Copyright Notice: All materials on the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg Library website are protected by South African copyright law and may not be distributed, transmitted, displayed, or otherwise published in any format, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Disclaimer and Terms of Use: Provided that you maintain all copyright and other notices contained therein, you may download material (one machine readable copy and one print copy per page) for your personal and/or educational non-commercial use only. The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, is not responsible for any errors or omissions and excludes any and all liability for any errors in or omissions from the information on the Library website.