Camille Perral and Dominik Makocki ARC OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF COAL MINING 4 ID: 1024512
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1. The Environmental Cost of coal miningCamille Perral and Dominik Makocki
2. ARC OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COST OF COAL MINING 4. What We Can Do About the Problems Of Coal Mining 3. History of Coal Mining Usage, Commercialization and Regulation 2. Environmental Consequences of Coal Mining: Effects on Land, Water and Air1. How We Mine Coal:Surface and Underground Mining
3. 1. How We Mine Coal: Surface and Underground Mining
4. Surface MiningSurface mining is the extraction of coal deposits by removing the material that lies above. According to the World Coal Association, this accounts for about 40% of the world's total coal production.Primary Methods Used on the Surface:Strip Mining- Process of removing long strips of soil and rock in order to access seams of coal.Open-pit Mining- Creation of massive open pits in the earth in order to reach deeper deposits of coal.Mountaintop Removal- Usage of explosives to blast off the tops of mountains in order to expose coal seams.
5. Strip Mining
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9. Open-pit mining
10. Process:1. Completion of geological survey to confirm the quantity of coal available and the features of the surrounding landscape.2. Importation of necessary labor and equipment.3. Digging begins on benches.
11. Process:4. All material resulting from digging is removed and is piled near the pit. 5. As the pit becomes deeper, blast mining becomes the main method of earth removal. 6. As the desired coal is reached, it is extracted and sent for processing.7. Once the coal is exhausted, reclamation of the pit is begun:Drainage Control, Preservation of Top Soil, Segregation of Waste Material, Erosion Control, Solid Waste Disposal, Fugitive Dust Control, Restoration of Mining Areas
12. Mountaintop removal
13. Underground miningUnderground mining is used when the coal is buried several hundred feet below the surface or more.Miners use heavy machineryto cut out the coal and transport it to the surface using conveyorsystems.
14. 2. EFFECTS OF COAL MINING ON LAND, WATER, AND AIR
15. A. LandStrip, Open-Pit and Mountaintop Mining EffectsUnderground Mining Effects
16. Strip, Open-Pit and Mountaintop Mining EffectsAs we saw before, the first step in all of these mining methods is to entirely clear the surface.This means the complete elimination of vegetation that exists on coal sites.Consequently, by destroying the vegetation you are also destroying the habitat of wildlife in the region.
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23. STRIP, OPEN-PIT AND MOUNTAINTOP MINING EFFECTS In the process of clearing the surface, you also eliminate the topsoil. Once you eliminate this, you make the land virtually useless for plant life and agriculture. Given enough time, the area will begin the process of desertification. However, if reclamation is properly executed, this can be prevented.
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25. Underground Mining Effects The creation of underground mines creates the possibility for human induced sinkholes and earthquakes.As coal is mined underground, columns of coal are left untouched in order to uphold the manmade space underground. However, overtime, the earth above will begin to sink.
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28. Relu Burlacu, network manager for the University of Utah Seismograph Stations: "Unlike natural earthquakes, the seismic "bump" Thursday night[referring to a recent earthquake] was very shallow. Initial recordings indicating it was less than one-tenth of a mile deep, but considering uncertainties in determining depths of such seismic events, it is more conservative to say the shaking began less than a mile underground, Burlacu said."
29. B. WaterI. WaterwaysCoal dust particles and discharged sediment from coal mining are either sent with the runoff into nearby waterways or blown across the landscape. - reduces life expectancy of fish by damaging their immune systems - suffocates fish eggs During mountaintop removal, the debris "discarded" by mining companies usually just end up nearby in valleys where rainwater can carry them into streams. - EPA estimates that this method of mining has buried almost 2,000 miles of Appalachian headwater streams. Bare lands are easily eroded so when old mining sites are not revegetated, debris from erosion can also clog up rivers leading to increased flood risks.
30. AppalachiaN Streams
31. BUT IT ISN'T JUST DIRT AND DEBRIS...Acid Mine Drainage from coal mines results from the oxidation of pyrite, which can be found in the coal seam and shale adjacent to the coal beds. - As pyrite is oxidized, oxidation products are transported from the oxidation site through subsurface flow systems by groundwater or infiltrating precipitation to receiving streams. - Depressed food supplies and direct toxicity from ingested materials are responsible for the loss of so many invertebrates in streams like those in the Appalachian region.
32. "Out of sight, Out of Mine"Pennsylvania Ohio
33. II. GroundwaterAcid mine drainage from coal mines can seep into groundwater causing contamination.Physical disruption of aquifers can occur from blasting which can cause the groundwater to seep to a lower level. - dries up nearby wells - reduces water in streams and lakes - land subsidence - deterioration of water quality: salt water intrusion
34. What do the people of appalachia have to say?"I am proud to be a Coal Miner’s daughter. It’s true. Coal put the food on my table. It also put the poison in my water. You don’t understand just how important your water is until it is gone." - Jonita Horn from Inez, Kentucky"My husband and I are lifelong residents of Mingo County, W.Va. Both of our fathers were coal miners, and my husband followed in their footsteps. In the 70’s, the coal company started strip mining above our home. It was very destructive to the community. The water was contaminated and finally went dry. The coal companies need to monitor their impacts to the water more closely. These companies that come out and do water sampling for the mines are not truthful. " - Donna Bronham from Lenore, West Virginia
35. However, some people remain optimistic about the future of coal. In 2007 several Virginians began the Friends of Coal, Ladies Auxiliary:"In July, 2007, a group of concerned women decided that it was time someone began to promote coal and its role in our state and national energy policies. We felt that a group without direct economic ties to coal companies could enhance the image of coal and combat some of the adverse publicity coal receives on a daily basis in the press and from many organized environmental groups."
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38. C. Air Air pollution from coal mines is mainly due to emissions of particulate matter and gases including methane, sulfur dioxide, and oxides of nitrogen, as well as carbon monoxide. During mountaintop removal, the use of explosives releases carbon monoxide into the air. Dust and coal particles stirred up during the mining process, as well as soot released during coal transport contributes to emissions and respiratory problems. - In the US, coal mines release more than 17,000 tons of particulate matter per year, including more than 10,000 tons of PM2.5. Why should we worry about these 10,000 tons?
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40. Coal contains methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. - Coal mines release 10% of all methane emissions in the United States. - A greenhouse gas with more than 20 times the heat-trapping ability of CO2, methane is also explosive. - A study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimated that surface mining releases 1719 grams of methane per ton of surface mined coal and 3807 grams of methane per ton of underground mined coal. Coal mines nationwide release more than 1,790 tons of volatile organic compounds every year. Why should we worry about this?
41. Nitrogen dioxide forms from blasting at strip coal mines creating poisonous orange clouds. - NO2 is a poisonous gas that reacts with sunlight to form ozone. - In Wyoming, the amount of nitrogen dioxide released by strip mining equals the amount normally released by 1.12 million passenger vehicles.
42. WEst Virginia's Air QualityA 2014 study done by researchers from West Virginia University confirmed that potentially dangerous air pollution levels are more likely in areas surrounding mountaintop removal coal mines than in mine-free communities.
43. 3. History of Coal MiningUsage, Commercialization and Regulation
44. Early usage of mining and commercialization The earliest archelogical evidence we have of coal is surface mining in China at approximately 3490 BC. Mining operations were localized and limited to coal that could be easily found very close to the surface. The first major coal mining operation was begun by Britain during the Industrial Revolution. As international trade spread, the concept of large scale coal industries spread to the rest of Europe, North America, and Japan.Resultingly, coal became cheaper and much more efficient than wood.By 1850, the US had a large industry that had mined 8.4 million short tons of coal in a single year. In 1918 this number grew to 680 million short tons.
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46. RegulationsUntil the later half of the 1900s, almost all legislation concerning coal mining deal with the working conditions within mines. However, this began to change:1966- National Historic Preservation Act: Governs the preservation of historic properties throughout the United States.1969- National Environmental Policy Act: Established a process for the federal government to address environmental issues caused by federal actions.1973- Endangered Species Act: Governs the protection of endangered species.1976- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act: Governs the control of solid wastes.1977- Clean Water Act: Regulates the discharge of pollutants into water sources.1977- Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act: Primary federal law governing coal mining.1990- Clean Air Act Amendment: Regulates the discharge of pollutants into the air.
47. 4. What can we do about The problems of coal mining?
48. - Mining is one of the industries that is able to use water which is of lower quality than that desirable for human consumption. Coal mines can use saline water/recycle and reuse previously contaminated water. Maintain biodiversity by transplanting or culturing any endangered plants found on site. Avoid acid rock drainage by keeping waste rock and tailings away from exposure to water and air.
49. TurniNG MINE WASTES INTO A RESOURCEWaste rock: Can be reprocessed to extract minerals and metals, used as backfill, landscaping material, aggregate in road construction, or feedstock for cement and concreteMine water: Mine water is used for dust suppression and mineral processing, industrial and agricultural uses, as a coolant, and as a source of drinking waterWater treatment sludge: Sludge from ARD treatment, which is high in iron, has been sold commercially for use in pigments
50. Independent Monitoring in water testingIn 2014, John Shelton of West Virginia pleaded guilty to repeatedly faking compliant water quality standards for coal companies. What can we do? Support organizations like the Appalachian Water Watch and ACE.
51. A Stronger Stream protection ruleIn July 2015, the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) released its long-awaited draft of a new Stream Protection Rule restricting surface coal mining activities in and around waterways.BUT Appalachian citizens want:- allowable citizen enforcement- pollution monitoring at valley fills- ensure that streams are restored
52. What about air pollution?
53. DO WE Stop mountaintop Removal? DO WE STOP SURFACE MINING?Is mining coal worth the environmental cost?