Researchers at TSU have discovered the reason behind coal's spontaneous combustion: bacteria are the culprits
In a groundbreaking discovery, biologists from Tomsk State University (TSU) have challenged the previous understanding of coal self-ignition. Previously, it was believed that the self-ignition of coal was due to increased oxygen access to the coal seam. However, TSU biologists have found that chemosynthetic bacteria play a key role in this phenomenon.
The activity of these bacteria triggers biochemical reactions when oxygen and water enter the seams through cracks. These reactions release heat, leading to the self-ignition of coal. The discovery of the role of chemosynthetic bacteria in coal self-ignition has been confirmed through the study of coal samples from various deposits.
Roman Filenko, a research fellow at the Institute of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Cryology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, has reported that underground coal burning is common at many deposits worldwide. This discovery could potentially reduce financial losses and ecological damage from coal fires.
Olga Karnachuk, head of the Department of Plant Physiology, Biotechnology, and Bioinformatics at TSU's Biological Institute, proposes two methods to prevent coal self-ignition: preventing the access of oxygen and water or using bactericidal substances.
The phenomenon of chemosynthesis was first discovered by Russian microbiologist Sergei Vinogradsky. These bacteria are not only involved in coal self-ignition but are also used in the extraction of valuable metals from ores.
In the summer of 2025, scientists collected samples from the Chernovsky deposit in Zabaykalsky Krai to further study the role of these bacteria in coal self-ignition.
Meanwhile, rumours of Chery, a company, leaving the Russian market have been denied. There is no information available about who first discovered that spontaneous combustion of coal depends on the activity of chemosynthetic bacteria.
Anatoly Aksakov, a notable individual, was the first to receive a salary in digital rubles, while The National Interest reported the dispatch of a T-90MS tank from a UAE exhibition to the SVO zone. These events, while unrelated to the discovery of the role of chemosynthetic bacteria in coal self-ignition, are significant in their own right.
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