Surface coal mining in Wyoming in the United States of America.

Coal mining is the extraction or removing of coal from the earth by mining. When coal is used for fuel in power generation it is referred to as steaming or thermal coal. Coal that is used to create coke for steel manufacturing is referred to as coking or metallurgical coal.^[1] In the United States, UK, and South Africa, a coal mine and its accompanying structures are collectively known as a colliery. In Australia, 'colliery' usually only refers to an underground coal mine.^[2] coal mine this image is from: http://www. ... coal mine this image is from: http://www. ... Official language(s) English Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Area  Ranked 10th  - Total 97,818 sq mi (253,348 km²)  - Width 280 miles (450 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 0. ... Coal Example chemical structure of coal Coal (pronounced ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ... This article is about mineral extractions. ... For other uses, see Fuel (disambiguation). ... Coke may refer to: Coca-Cola, a soft drink originally based on coca leaf extract The Coca-Cola Company Cola, any soft drink similar to Coca-Cola Coke (fuel), a solid carbonaceous residue derived from destructive distillation of coal Petroleum coke, a solid carbon rich residue derived from distillation of... For other uses, see Steel (disambiguation). ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent...

Methods of extraction

The most economical method of coal extraction from coal seams depends on the depth and quality of the seams, and also the geology and environmental factors of the area being mined. Coal mining processes are generally differentiated by whether they operate on the surface or underground. Many coals extracted from both surface and underground mines require washing in a coal preparation plant. This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... A Coal Preparation Plant (CPP) is a facility that washes coal of soil and rock, preparing it for transport to market. ...

Modern surface mining

Trucks loaded with coal at the Cerrejon coal mine.

When coal seams are near the surface, it may be economical to extract the coal using open cut (also referred to as open cast or open pit) mining methods. Typically, for coal, strip mining is used. Strip mining exposes the coal by the advancement of an open pit or strip. The earth above the coal seam(s) is known as overburden. A strip of overburden next to the previously mined strip is usually drilled. The drill holes are filled with explosives and blasted. The overburden is then removed using large earthmoving equipment such as draglines, shovel and trucks, excavator and trucks, or bucket-wheels and conveyors. This overburden is put into the previously mined (and now empty) strip. When all the overburden is removed, the underlying coal seam will be exposed as a strip known as a 'block'. This 'block' of coal may be drilled and blasted (if hard) or otherwise loaded on to trucks or conveyors for transport to the coal preparation (or wash) plant. Once this strip is empty of coal, the process is repeated with a new strip being created next to it. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Cerrejón is a coal mine located in the Guajira department in the north of Colombia. ... El Chino, located near Silver City, New Mexico, is an open-pit copper mine Open-pit mining, or opencast mining, refers to a method of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow. ... Strip mining is the practice of mining a seam of mineral ore by first removing all of the soil and rock that lies on top of it. ... Overburden is the term used in mining to describe material that lies above the area of economic interest. ... Drilling Rig, Gas well in Northern Italy A drilling rig is a machine which creates holes (usually called boreholes) and/or shafts in the ground. ... Huge Manitowok 4600 Heavy lift Dragline at the SNS Project, 2005. ... A tracked excavator by Daewoo. ... Bucket wheel excavator in Ferropolis, Germany Bucket-wheel excavators are heavy equipment used in surface mining and civil engineering. ...

Open cast coal mining recovers a greater proportion of the coal deposit that underground methods, as more of the coal seams in the strata may be exploited. Opencast coal mines can cover many square kilometers.^[3]

Most open cast mines in the United States extract bituminous coal. In South Wales open casting for steam coal and anthracite is practiced. In Australia and South Africa open cast mining is used for both thermal and metallurgical coals. Surface mining accounts for around 80% of production in Australia, while in the USA it is used for about 67% of production. Globally, about 40% of coal production involves surface mining.^[4] Bituminous coal Bituminous coal is a relatively hard coal containing a tar-like substance called bitumen. ... Approximate extent of South East Wales. ... Anthracite coal Anthracite (Greek Ανθρακίτης, literally a form of coal, from Anthrax [Άνθραξ], coal) is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high luster. ... El Chino, located near Silver City, New Mexico, is an open-pit copper mine Open-pit mining, or opencast mining, refers to a method of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized...

Mountaintop removal is a form of surface mining that takes place at the topmost portion of a mountain, and is a technique that is commonly applied in Appalachia in the United States. Utilized for the past 30 years, mountaintop mining involves removing the highest part of the mountain for the maximum recovery of coal. The process is highly controversial for the drastic changes in topography, the practice of hollow fills, or filling in valleys with mining debris, and for covering streams and disrupting ecosystems.^[5] // Mountaintop removal coal mining at Kayford Mountain, West Virginia. ... It has been suggested that Poverty in Appalachia be merged into this article or section. ...

Underground mining

Main article: Underground mining

Coal wash plant.

Most coal seams are too deep underground for opencast mining and thus this type of mining is called underground mining. Underground mining currently accounts for about 60% of world coal production.^[6] In deep mining, the room and pillar or bord and pillar method progresses along the seam, while pillars and timber are left standing to support the coal mine roof. Once room and pillar mines have been developed to a stopping point (limited by geology, ventilation, or economics), a supplementary version of room and pillar mining referred to as second mining or retreat mining is commonly started. This is when miners remove the coal in the pillars, thereby recovering as much coal from the coal seam as possible. A work area that is involved in pillar extraction is called a pillar section. Modern pillar sections use remote controlled equipment, including large hydraulic mobile roof supports, which can prevent cave ins until the miners and other equipment have left a work area. The mobile roof supports are similar to a large dining room table, but with hydraulic jacks for legs. After the large pillars of coal have been mined away, the mobile roof support legs shorten, and the mobile roof supports travel out to a safe area. The mine roof typically collapses once the mobile roof supports leave an area. Sub-surface mining or underground mining refers to a group of techniques used for the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth. ... Room and pillar refers to a hard-rock mining system, often used in coal mining and underground quarrying, in which material is extracted across a horizontal plane while leaving pillars of untouched material to support the roof. ... Retreat mining refers to an underground mining technique that involves the excavation of material from a chamber while leaving some material behind in the form of pillars that support the roof and prevent cave-ins. ...

There are four major underground mining methods:

• Longwall mining – accounts for about 50% of underground production. The longwall shearer has a face of 1,000 feet (300 m) or more. It is a sophisticated machine with a rotating drum that moves mechanically back-and-forth across a wide coal seam. The loosened coal falls onto a pan line that takes the coal to the conveyor belt for removal from the work area. Longwall systems have their own hydraulic roof supports for overlying rock that advance with the machine as mining progresses. As the longwall mining equipment moves forward, overlying rock that is no longer supported by the coal that has been removed is allowed to fall behind the operation in a controlled manner. The supports make possible high levels of production and safety. Sensors detect how much coal remains in the seam while robotic controls enhance efficiency. Longwall systems allow a 60-to-100% coal recovery rate where the surrounding geology allows their use.

• Continuous mining– Utilize a machine with a large rotating steel drum equipped with tungsten carbide teeth that scrape coal from the seam. Operating in a “room and pillar” (also known as “bord and pillar”) system – where the mine is divided into a series of 20-to-30 foot “rooms” or work areas cut into the coalbed – it can mine as much as five tons of coal a minute – more than a non-mechanised miner of the 1920s would produce in an entire day. Continuous miners account for about 45% of underground coal production, and also utilize conveyors to transport the removed coal from the seam. Remote controlled continuous miners are used to work in a variety of difficult seams and conditions and robotic versions controlled by computers are becoming increasingly common.

• Blast mining – An older practice that uses explosives such as dynamite to break up the coal seam, after which the coal is gathered and loaded onto shuttle cars or conveyors for removal to a central loading area. This process consists of a series of operations that begins with “cutting” the coalbed so it will break easily when blasted with explosives. This type of mining accounts for less than 5% of total underground production in the U.S. today.

• Shortwall mining– A method that accounts for less than 1% of deep coal production, shortwall involves the use of a continuous mining machine with moveable roof supports, similar to longwall. The continuous miner shears coal panels 150-200 feet wide and more than a half-mile long, depending on other things like the strata of the Earth and the transverse waves.

Longwall mining is form of underground coal mining. ... The 1920s they were sexy referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ... This article is concerned solely with chemical explosives. ... This article is about a high explosive. ...

Production

Coal is mined commercially in over 50 countries. Over 4 970 Mt of hard coal is currently produced, a nearly 80% increase over the past 25 years.^[7] In 2005, the world production of brown coal and lignite was 906 Mt, with Germany the world’s largest brown coal producer.

Coal production has grown fastest in Asia, while Europe has declined. The top five coal mining nations (figures in brackets are 2006 estimate of hard coal production)^[8] are: For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ...

• China (2 482 Mt)
• USA (990 Mt)
• India (427 Mt)
• Australia (309 Mt)
• South Africa (244 Mt)

Most coal production is used in the country of origin, with around 16% of hard coal production being exported. Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized...

Global coal production is expected to reach 7 Gt in 2030, with China accounting for most of this increase. Steam coal production is projected to reach around 5200 Mt; coking coal 620 Mt; and brown coal 1200 Mt.^[9]

Coal reserves are available in almost every country worldwide, with recoverable reserves in around 70 countries. At current production levels, proven coal reserves are estimated to last 147 years.^[10]

History

Main article: History of coal mining

The oldest continuously worked deep-mine in the UK and possibly the world is Tower Colliery at the northern end of the south Wales valleys in the heart of the South Wales coalfield. This colliery was started in 1805 and at the end of the 20th century it was bought out by its miners rather than being allowed to be closed. Chinese coal miners in an illustration of the Tiangong Kaiwu Ming Dynasty encyclopedia, published in 1637 by Song Yingxing. ... Tower Colliery is the oldest, continuously worked deep-coal mine in the United Kingdom, and possibly the world, and the only mine of its kind which remains in the South Wales Valleys. ... The South Wales Valleys are a number of industrialised valleys in South Wales. ... This article belongs in one or more categories. ... Thomas Jefferson. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

The World Championships in coal-carrying take place every Easter Monday, at Ossett, West Yorkshire, UK. The race starts from the site of the old Savile & Shaw Cross colliery. Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some largely Christian cultures. ... , Ossett [pronounced Oss-it] is an old industrial town in West Yorkshire, England on junction 40 of the M1 motorway. ... Coat of Arms of South Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, that has a population of 2. ...

The first commercial coal mines in the United States were started in 1748 in Midlothian, Virginia, near Richmond, Virginia.^[11] Year 1748 (MDCCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... Midlothian, Virginia is an unincorporated place located in Chesterfield County, Virginia. ... Nickname: Motto: Sic dic Itur Ad Astra (Thus do we reach the stars) Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor L. Douglas Wilder (I) Area  - City 62. ...

In the 1880s, Coal-cutting machines became available (prior to that, coal was mined underground by hand using a pick and shovel.) // Development and commercial production of electric lighting Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered automobile by Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Maybach First commercial production and sales of phonographs and phonograph recordings. ...

By 1912, surface mining was underway with steam shovels specifically designed for coal mining. 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Modern mining

Technological advancements have made coal mining today more productive than it has ever been. To keep up with technology and to extract coal as efficiently as possible modern mining personnel must be highly skilled and well trained in the use of complex, state-of-the-art instruments and equipment. Future coal miners have to be highly educated and many jobs require four-year college degrees. Computer knowledge has also become greatly valued within the industry as most of the machines and safety monitors are computerized. Coal Example chemical structure of coal Coal (pronounced ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... The state of the art is the highest level of development, as of a device, technique, or scientific field, achieved at a particular time. ...

In the United States, the increase in technology has significantly decreased the mining workforce from 335,000 coal miners working at 7,200 mines fifty years ago to 104,824 miners working in fewer than 2,000 mines today. As some might see this as a sign that coal is a declining industry its advances has reported an 83% increase of production from 1970 to 2004^{[citation needed]}. Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Dangers to miners

Historically, coal mining has been a very dangerous activity and the list of historical coal mining disasters is a long one. Open cut hazards are principally slope failure, underground mining roof collapse and gas explosions. Most of these risks can be greatly reduced in modern mines, and multiple fatality incidents are now rare in some parts of the developed world.^[12] Coal Example chemical structure of coal Coal (pronounced ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... Mount Mulligan mine disaster in Australia 1921. ... Gas phase particles (atoms, molecules, or ions) move around freely Gas is one of the four major states of matter, consisting of freely moving atoms or molecules without a definite shape and without a definite volume. ...

However, in lesser developed countries and some developed countries, many miners continue to die annually, either through direct accidents in coal mines or through adverse health consequences from working under poor conditions. China, in particular, has the highest number of coal mining related deaths in the world, with official statistic 6,027 deaths in 2004.^[13] To compare, the USA reported 28 deaths in the same year.^[14] Coal production in China is twice that of the United States,^[15] while the number of coal miners is around 50 times that of the USA, making deaths in coal mines in China 4 times as common per worker (50 times as common per unit output) as in the USA. Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized...

When compared to industrial countries such as China, the U.S. fatality rate is low.^[specify] However in 2006 fatal work injuries among U.S. miners doubled from the previous year, totaling 47.^[16] These figures can in part be attributed to the Sago Mine disaster. The recent mine accident in Utah's Crandall Canyon Mine, where nine miners were killed and six entombed, speaks to the increase in occupational risks faced by U.S. miners.^[17] It has been suggested that Randal McCloy be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... The Crandall Canyon Mine, formerly Genwal Mine, is an underground bituminous coal mine in northwestern Emery County, Utah. ...

Chronic lung diseases, such as pneumoconiosis (black lung) were once common in miners, leading to reduced life expectancy. In some mining countries black lung is still common, with 4000 new cases of black lung every year in the USA (4% of workers annually) and 10 000 new cases every year in China (0.2% of workers).^[18] Rates may be higher than reported in some regions. Human respiratory system The lungs flank the heart and great vessels in the chest cavity. ... Pneumoconiosis, also known as coal workers pneumoconiosis, miners asthma, or black lung disease, is a lung condition caused by the inhalation of dust, characterized by formation of nodular fibrotic changes in lungs. ... This article is about the measure of remaining life. ...

Build-ups of a hazardous gas are known as damps, possibly from the German word "Dampf" which means steam or vapor:

• Black damp: a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen in a mine can cause suffocation.
• After damp: similar to black damp, an after damp consists of carbon dioxide and nitrogen and forms after a mine explosion.
• Fire damp: consists of mostly methane, a flammable gas.
• Stink damp: so named for the rotten egg smell of the sulfur, a stink damp can explode.
• White damp: air containing carbon monoxide which is toxic, even at low concentrations]

See also: Mining accidents

Black damp, also known as stythe or choke damp is a mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide found in some coal mines. ... Carbon dioxide (chemical formula: ) is a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom. ... General Name, symbol, number nitrogen, N, 7 Chemical series nonmetals Group, period, block 15, 2, p Appearance colorless gas Standard atomic weight 14. ... Afterdamp is the toxic mixture of gases left in a mine following an explosion due to firedamp. ... Firedamp is a flammable gas found in coal mines. ... Methane is a chemical compound with the molecular formula . ... Hydrogen sulfide (hydrogen sulphide in British English) is the chemical compound with the formula H2S. This colorless, toxic and flammable gas is responsible for the foul odor of rotten eggs and flatulence. ... R-phrases , , , , S-phrases , , , , Flash point Flammable gas Related Compounds Related oxides carbon dioxide; carbon suboxide; dicarbon monoxide; carbon trioxide Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ... Mining accidents are dangerous and often deadly accidents which occur in the process of mining minerals from underneath the surface of the planet. ...

Safer times in modern mining

Improvements in mining methods (e.g. longwall mining), hazardous gas monitoring (such as safety-lamps or more modern electronic gas monitors), gas drainage, and ventilation have reduced many of the risks of rock falls, explosions, and unhealthy air quality. Statistical analyses performed by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) show that between 1990 and 2004, the industry cut the rate of injuries by more than half and fatalities by two-thirds. However according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, mining remains the second most dangerous occupation in America.^[19] Safety lamp is the name of a variety of lamps for safety in coal-mines against coal dust, methane, or firedamp, a highly explosive mixture of natural gas apt to accumulate in them. ... The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is an agency of the United States Department of Labor which administers the provisions of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine Act) to enforce compliance with mandatory safety and health standards as a means to eliminate fatal accidents; to... The Bureau of Labor Statistics was founded in 1884 by President Chester A. Arthur. ...

Environmental impacts

Main article: Environmental effects of coal

Coal mining can result in a number of adverse effects on the environment. Open cast coal mines leaves areas of land that is no longer usable and leaves a scarred landscape with no scenic value. Rehabilitation can mitigate some of these concerns. Mine tailing dumps produce acid mine drainage which can seep into waterways and aquifers with consequences on ecological and human health. Subsidence of land surfaces due to collapse of mine tunnels can also occur. During the mining operation methane, a potent greenhouse gas and a constituent of firedamp, can be released. Acid mine drainage (AMD), or acid rock drainage (ARD), refers to the outflow of acidic water from (usually) abandoned metal mines or coal mines. ... For the journal, see Ecology (journal). ... Methane is a chemical compound with the molecular formula . ... Top: Increasing atmospheric CO2 levels as measured in the atmosphere and ice cores. ... Firedamp is a flammable gas found in coal mines. ...

See also

• Acid mine drainage
• Black lung disease
• Coal Measures
• Coal mining debate
• Coal slurry impoundment
• Coal-mining region
• Hurrying
• Mine fire
• Problems in coal mining
• World Coal Institute

Acid mine drainage (AMD), or acid rock drainage (ARD), refers to the outflow of acidic water from (usually) abandoned metal mines or coal mines. ... Pneumoconiosis is a lung condition caused by the inhalation of dust, characterized by formation of nodular fibrotic changes in lungs. ... A coal measure (stratigraphic unit) is the name given to any rock sequence that occurs in the upper part of the Carboniferous System in Europe. ... A coal mining proposal in the Central Coast, Australia, has generated debates in the community // Korea Resources Corporation (Kores), owned by Korean Government, has lodged application for an underground coal mine near Wyong, Australia, known as Wallarah 2 Coal Project (W2CP), beneath the drinking water catchment valleys of Dooralong and... A coal slurry impoundment consists of solid and liquid waste and is a by-product of the coal mining and preparation processes. ... A coal-mining region is a region in which coal mining is a significant economic activity. ... A hurrier and two thrusters heaving a corf full of coal as depicted in the 1853 book The White Slaves of England by J Cobden. ... A mine fire is a fire that starts in a coal mine and burns underground. ... Coal mining cannot be done everywhere with coal, due to certain restrictions. ... The World Coal Institute works on a global basis on behalf of the coal industry. ...

References

Further reading

• Daniel Burns. The modern practice of coal mining (1907)
• Hughes. Herbert W, A Text-Book of Mining: For the Use of Colliery Managers and Others (London, many editions 1892-1917), the standard British textbook for its era.
• James Tonge. The principles and practice of coal mining (1906)
• Charles V. Nielsen and George F. Richardson. 1982 Keystone Coal Industry Manual (1982)
• Hayes, Geoffrey. Coal Mining (2004), 32 pp
• A.K. Srivastava. Coal Mining Industry in India (1998) (ISBN 81-7100-076-2)
• Chirons, Nicholas P. Coal Age Handbook of Coal Surface Mining (ISBN 0-07-011458-7)
• Saleem H. Ali. Minding our Minerals, 2006. [1]
• National Energy Information Center, Greenhouse Gases, Climate Change, Energy, <http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggccebro/chapter1.html>. Retrieved on 16 October 2007

• The Department of Trade and Industry, The Coal Authority, <http://www.coal.gov.uk/resources/cleanercoaltechnologies/CoalMineandbedmethane.cfm>. Retrieved on 16 October 2007

External links

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• Abandoned Mine Research
• of Wollongong - educational resource on longwall mining
• National Coal Mining Museum for England
• World Coal Institute - Coal Mining
• NIOSH Coal Workers' Health Surveillance Program
• Prudue University - Petroleum and Coal
• West Virginia Coal Mining History