Coal Mining Sally Brady Rosalyn Greene
What is coal and how is it formed? Coal is a kind of rock which is created when an animal dies and becomes trapped between layers of soil. Heat and pressure make the animal matter harden into a rock. Two major types include lignite and anthracite. (“Coal”)
How is electricity produced from coal? "Electricity from coal is the electric power made from the energy stored in coal. Carbon, made from ancient plant material, gives coal most of its energy. This energy is released when coal is burned." (American Coal Foundation)
Where is coal mined in the U.S.? The five largest coal-producing states: • Wyoming: (40%) • West Virginia: (11%) • Kentucky: (8%) • Pennsylvania: (6%) • Illinois: (6%) (U.S. Department of Energy)
Why is coal mining dangerous? Coal is mined from deep in the ground. Coal mining is considered a dangerous occupation, because miners can get trapped and a spark could cause an explosion. Coal miners often suffer from black lung disease. (“Coal”)
What environmental problems result from our dependence on coal? “The pollution from coal power plants, the organization maintains, creates smog that harms the human respiratory system and deposits large quantities of lead, arsenic, and mercury into the environment.” (Sierra Club)
Cause and Effect Environmental Problems Caused by Coal Mining: • Methane gas is released into the air. "Methane gas, when released directly into the atmosphere, is about eighty times as harmful as a similar quantity of carbon dioxide." • Coal mining disrupts groundwater reservoirs • Coal mining pollutes above-ground water resources such as lakes and rivers.
Compare and Contrast Some believe that coal Others believe that coal mining is a useful mining is detrimental to source of energy. Too the environment and many people rely on coal should be stopped. Coal energy to stop mining mining is also very coal. dangerous.
Problem- Solution • Solution: • Clean coal technologies such PROBLEM: Coal as coal gasification and carbon capture and causes pollution sequestration. • Solution: • Improve mining equipment PROBLEM:Coal • Increase the number of mining is safety inspections dangerous • Educate miners on safe practices
Works Cited • "Coal." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection . Detroit: Gale, 2015. Opposing Viewpoints in Context . Web. 27 Sept. 2016. • Sierra Club. "Coal Should Not Be the Energy of the Future." Coal . Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2011. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "The Dirty Truth About Coal: Why Yesterday's Technology Should Not Be Part of Tomorrow's Energy Future." 2008. Opposing Viewpoints in Context . Web. 27 Sept. 2016. • "Black lung disease." Environmental Encyclopedia. Gale, 2011. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 29 Sept. 2016. • Lydersen, Kari. "Clean Coal Doesn't Exist." Energy Alternatives. Ed. David Haugen and Susan Musser. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Dirtier Side Betrays Promise of 'Clean Coal,'." New Standard (15 Mar. 2006). Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 29 Sept. 2016.
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