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Coal mine
From Envirowiki
Coal mines are big pits in the ground that ya get black stuff out of.
Contents |
[edit] Methods
Methods of Coal mining include:
- Shored underground mining: original method of underground mining. not used in developed countries anymore, as it is not economically viable, or particularly safe.
- Longwall mining: underground mining, in which two parallel tunnels are dug a long distance apart, and a third tunnel is dug across one end in a "U" shape. the third tunnel forms the long wall, which is constantly dug out, and moved forward in an "H" pattern. The cavity left behind collapses, sometimes violently.
- Open-Cut mining:Huge pit dug into the face of the earth, to extract whatever coal seams may lie underneath. hugely destructive, to the mine site, and areas around it (dust, noise, watertable). Open Cut mines can rarely ever be truly rehabilitated, due to the massive disruption of the soil structure and the effect on the water table.
[edit] effect on the environment
Coal mines often have devastating effects on the local environment, by destroying habitat, contaminating water ways, lowering and/or contaminating the water table, scaring or poisoning animal (who may drink the contamination), and by covering the adjacent land with coal dust.
[edit] effect on human health
communities living near Coal mines often have higer incidences of respiratory illness, and there are some instances of increased risk of cancer. coal dust is a very fine dust, which is not healthy to breath, and contains traces of radioctive elements such as uranium and thorium, which can be carcinogenic in high doses. coal mine companies are often quick to try and disprove any link.
[edit] effect on communities
Pro-coalers will often quip that coal mines privide lots of jobs. this is not strictly true, as the mines are so mechanised they require little supervision. Coal miners are often not from the local community any way, since it it cheaper to pay a trained worker to commute long distances than to train new workers. this generally means that mine workers have little or no connection to the community in which the live part of their lives, and the community degenerates.
also, there a more jobs in the wind power industry
[edit] list of notable Coal Mines
- Anvil Hill (proposed)
