Coal Mining Papers
Coal Mining
Coal mining is taking coal out of the earth for use as fuel, and there are two types of it: surface and mountaintop mining and underground mining. Coal is one of the most important resources because of its ability to be a fuel. Surface mining is used when the coal is near the surface, and a process known as strip mining extracts it; this is literally tearing a strip out of the earth to expose the coal. This is a highly controversial method though because by taking so many strips, the topography of the mountain changes drastically. Underground mining is the second technique where one builds coalmines because the coal is too far underground. There are four types of underground mining, and they are longwall mining, continuous mining, blast mining, and shortwall mining. Longwall mining is the most common, accounting for about 50% of all underground mining, and a machine is used to drill the coal out where it is then place on a conveyor after it falls down. Continuous mining too utilizes the conveyor belt system, and is also used by a machine. The machine contains many "teeth", which scrape the coal from the seams of the many rooms built by miners for the machine to travel in. Blast mining is very straightforward because explosives such as dynamite are literally used to blast the coal out. After the coal …show more content…
Coal mining and its effects is something that no one thinks about because as long as peoples' houses are being heated and they are comfortable, nobody cares. However, as global warming increases and significant environmental changes begin to take place, it will have to be taken seriously. Economically, it is a huge subject because it is such an essential trade object, which is why it cannot stop being harvested. Simply, money is more important than the environment in many minds and as long as people are getting their cut, coal is going to be shipped
Coal mining is taking coal out of the earth for use as fuel, and there are two types of it: surface and mountaintop mining and underground mining. Coal is one of the most important resources because of its ability to be a fuel. Surface mining is used when the coal is near the surface, and a process known as strip mining extracts it; this is literally tearing a strip out of the earth to expose the coal. This is a highly controversial method though because by taking so many strips, the topography of the mountain changes drastically. Underground mining is the second technique where one builds coalmines because the coal is too far underground. There are four types of underground mining, and they are longwall mining, continuous mining, blast mining, and shortwall mining. Longwall mining is the most common, accounting for about 50% of all underground mining, and a machine is used to drill the coal out where it is then place on a conveyor after it falls down. Continuous mining too utilizes the conveyor belt system, and is also used by a machine. The machine contains many "teeth", which scrape the coal from the seams of the many rooms built by miners for the machine to travel in. Blast mining is very straightforward because explosives such as dynamite are literally used to blast the coal out. After the coal …show more content…
Coal mining and its effects is something that no one thinks about because as long as peoples' houses are being heated and they are comfortable, nobody cares. However, as global warming increases and significant environmental changes begin to take place, it will have to be taken seriously. Economically, it is a huge subject because it is such an essential trade object, which is why it cannot stop being harvested. Simply, money is more important than the environment in many minds and as long as people are getting their cut, coal is going to be shipped