#lignite

Jet-black Polyhedral Seal of The Western Wei General

This multi-faceted jet seal of the Western Wei dynasty, belonged to the famous General Dugu Xin (獨孤信). It has 8 edges and 26 sides: 18 square and 8 triangular ones. It is the ancient polyhedral seal with the largest number of facets.

Among them, 14 sides are engraved with inscriptions. The inscriptions range from one-character to five-character. The functionality is differentiated, including the use in official letters, orders, document labeling, etc.

The jet, a composite organic gem, from which the seal is carved, is known in China as “coal jade” (煤玉).

The total height of the object is 4.5 cm, the width is 4.35 cm, and the weight is 75.7 g.

The seal was accidentally discovered in 1981 by Song Qing, a student from Xunyang county (旬陽縣), Ankang, Shaanxi. While returning home from school, he picked up a weird object in the gravel on the roadside, which aroused his curiosity with its bizarre shape. Song Qing had no idea what it was. Having examined the inscriptions at home, he gave the find for examination to the local archaeological museum, where the artifact was considered not of particular cultural value.

Surf Dancer went to the Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft.

moonlike spoil piles in german Lusatia. Caused by opencast mining.

Greece’s power utility PPC will extend the operation of seven lignite units to 2025 to ensure the stability of the system, essentially freezing the company’s much touted lignite phase-out policy.

According to a decision by the Environment and Energy Ministry published on the Diavgeia website on Tuesday, PPC will extend the operating hours of its five lignite-fired power stations in Agios Dimitrios, in Meliti and in Megalopolis until 2025, as well as two oil-fired plants at Atherinolakkos in eastern Crete until 2024, when the Crete-Attica electricity interconnection is expected to start operating. The decision followed a relevant request from PPC.

PPC argues that the extension of operating hours in derogation of a European environmental directive concerning the emission of air pollutants, both lignite and oil, is considered necessary for the stability of the country’s electrical system, especially during periods of extreme weather due to climate change.

These units are already operating in derogation of the EU directive.