Coal Diver Everything you wanted to know about coal, but were afraid to ask.

Issues

Here are a few many issues, impacts and things to consider that are related with coal mining.

Dewatering

In the West, coal seams are often below the grade of the surrounding land, and sometimes even the underlying aquifers. To keep mines from flooding, they must be “dewatered” which results in a lowering of the surrounding water table. Learn more.

Groundwater Pollution

Because many coal seams lie near or below the water table, there are several ways that mining can result in groundwater pollution. Learn more

Climate Change

Burning coal is one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide being released into the air. This greenhouse gas is considered a major driver of anthropomorphic climate change. Learn more

Coal Bed Methane

Coal fields often contain large amounts of methane. While this can cause explosions as in the Upper Big Branch Mine Disaster, these reserves of methane can be tapped for energy (though this is usually done instead of mining the coal). Learn more

Coal Combustion Waste

When coal is burned, the residue left behind has highly concentrated levels of heavy metals that need to be disposed of properly.Learn more

Mining tailings

All mining operations need places to store the byproducts of mining. The ways that these tailings are handled is important. Learn more

Underground Coal Gasification (UGC)

UGC is a new technology that has the potential to tap coal reserves that are deep underground and previously were economically unfeasible. Learn more

Energy Independence and Coal Supply

Coal has been touted as one of the ways that the United States can gain energy independence because it holds such large reserves. The size of those reserves varies vastly depending on which estimates one uses.Learn more

Health effects of coal mining and combustion

Coal mining and coal combustion are dirty businesses. While both mining and combustion are far cleaner than they were 50 or 100 years ago, there are still serious impacts from both processes on workers in the industry and the country as a whole. Learn More

Economic impacts on the local community

Coal mining certainly has a large impact on the regions where it takes place. However not all of those impacts are positive. Learn more

Eminent domain and mining regulations

In the West, mining rights are separate from the property rights that control the surface, so if somebody finds coal on your property, your rights are very limited.Learn more

Mine reclamation

What happens to a mine after it ceases production? Learn more.