Strip mining is used when coal is near earth's surface or when overburden is unstable. This is an easy method but overburden is placed in previous mine cavities.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Surface Mining
There are three types of surface mining; strip, contour, and mountaintop.
Strip mining is used when coal is near earth's surface or when overburden is unstable. This is an easy method but overburden is placed in previous mine cavities.
Contour mining is a type of strip mining that follows the contour of a hill or mountain (hince the name contour). This leaves terraces in the mountainside but these terraces are seeded and vegitation is grown. http://www.ohiodnr.com/procedure_b/tabid/17894/Default.aspx
Mountaintop Removal is the most contriversial method of mining. Tops of mountains or hills are removed to access horizontal coal seams. Overburden is pushed to areas between high elevations and the original contour is not restored after reclamation. This method is very effective at getting coal but completely recontructs the land and often messes up streams and landscapes below the mountain or hill. http://www.mountainjusticesummer.org/facts/steps.php
Strip mining is used when coal is near earth's surface or when overburden is unstable. This is an easy method but overburden is placed in previous mine cavities.
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