How Is Coal Mined?
coal mining
Coal is mined using giant machines to remove the coal from the ground. There are two basic methods to remove coal: surface mining and underground mining.
1. Surface mining is used when the coal is typically less than 200 feet below the surface. Giant machines are used to remove the top layers of soil and rock to expose the coal. The coal is excavated, and after the mining is complete, the soil and rock are returned to fill the mine. The area is then revegetated and can be used for other purposes, such as cropland, wildlife habitat, recreation, commercial, or industrial use.
2. Underground mining is used when the coal is buried several hundred feet below the surface or more. Some mines can extend to depths of more than 1,000 feet. Miners use heavy machinery to cut out the coal and rely on conveyor systems to transport the coal to the surface. Some underground mines require elevator shafts to move miners and coal to and from the surface.
Coal mining process machines
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Processing the Coal
After coal comes out of the ground, it typically goes on a conveyor belt to a preparation plant that is located at the mining site. The plant cleans and processes coal to remove dirt, rock, ash, sulfur, and other unwanted materials, increasing the heating value of the coal.
Coal mining in India and Indonesia
Top 10 hard and brown coal producers in 2010 (2009) were (Mt): China 3,162 (2,971), United States 997 (985), India 571 (561), Australia 420 (399), Indonesia 336 (301), Russia 324 (297), South Africa 255 (247), Kazakhstan 111 (101), Poland 134 (135) and Colombia 74 (73).
India: Coal accounts for approximately 60 percent of all commercial electricity generation.
South Africa: South Africa is one of the ten largest coal producing and the fourth largest coal exporting country in the world.
United States: The American share of world coal production remained steady at about 20 percent from 1980 to 2005, at about 1 billion short tons per year. In 2008 then-President George W. Bush stated that coal was the most reliable source of electricity. However, in 2011 President Barack Obama said that the US should rely more on “clean” sources of energy that emit lower or no carbon dioxide pollution.