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Coal (fuel source)
Coal has been the primary fossil fuel since Native American times. Once coal companies started in the United States in the early to mid 1800s, men from England (Great Britain now United Kingdom), Scotland, and other European countries were recruited to come to the US. Local coal miners, especially in the bituminous coal field (Pittsburgh PA Coal Field which extended through SW PA, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky) viewed these immigrants as "foreigners" and demanded companies only hire "practical" (experienced) miners; however, this idea formed solely because of language barriers and other biases, since overseas miners were very experienced in their home countries. Coal, as a fossil fuel, has been continuously mined in the US from the mid-1800s to the present.
3,543 Questions
What best describes how coal deposits form?
Coal deposits form from the remains of ancient plants that were buried and subjected to high pressure and heat over millions of years. This process transforms the organic material into various types of coal based on the degree of heat and pressure applied. Coal deposits are typically found in areas with abundant plant growth and are a non-renewable source of energy.
Where can coal deposits be located on earth?
Coal deposits can be found in various locations around the world, including the United States, China, India, Australia, and Russia. These deposits are typically formed in areas where ancient swamps and marshes existed, providing the conditions necessary for the accumulation of plant material that eventually turned into coal.
How is a coal bed formation possible in Antarctica?
Coal bed formation in Antarctica is possible through the accumulation and burial of plant material in swamps during ancient warm periods in the Earth's history. Over millions of years, the plant material undergoes compaction and chemical changes, forming peat and eventually coal. Antarctica has a history of relatively warm climates in the past, allowing for the formation of these coal beds that we see today.
Soil and overburden in surface coal mining must be carefully removed and stored separately to prevent contamination and preserve topsoil for reclamation. Techniques such as contour mining and backfilling can be used to minimize the environmental impact by reducing the amount of disturbed land and facilitating reclamation efforts. Adequate erosion control measures should also be implemented to prevent sediment runoff into nearby water sources.
What are the 4 major countries where mineral oil and coal is found?
The four major countries where mineral oil and coal are found in abundance are United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and China. These countries have significant reserves and production capacities for both mineral oil and coal.
Why when we burn coal the energy released come originally from the sun?
When coal is burned, the energy released comes originally from the sun because coal is formed from organic matter such as dead plants and trees that captured solar energy through photosynthesis. This stored solar energy in the form of carbon is released when coal is burned, making it a fossil fuel.
How much coal will be produced in the year 2020 for each region?
I don't have real-time data for coal production in specific regions for the year 2020. I recommend checking official government websites or reports from organizations such as the International Energy Agency for this information.
Where is bituminous coal found?
Bituminous coal is found in various locations around the world, including the United States, China, Russia, and Australia. In the United States, states like West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky are known for their bituminous coal reserves.
What one of the following depositional environments of the following is coal formed?
Coal is typically formed in swamp environments, where abundant plant material accumulates and is buried over time. The anaerobic conditions in these swamps prevent the complete decay of the plant material, leading to its transformation into coal through a process called coalification.
Does anthracite release more pollution than bituminous?
Anthracite coal generally releases less pollution than bituminous coal when burned due to its higher carbon content and lower levels of impurities. This results in lower emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, which can have negative environmental and health impacts.
What type of climate does coal begin to form in?
Coal begins to form in a humid and warm climate where organic matter, such as dead plants, accumulates in oxygen-poor environments like swamps and wetlands. Over time, the organic matter gets buried and undergoes transformation into peat, then lignite, and finally coal through a process known as coalification.
What type of coal was exposed to the highest temperature and pressure for the longest time?
Anthracite coal is the type that has been exposed to the highest temperature and pressure for the longest time. It has a high carbon content and is the most mature form of coal, often found deep within the Earth's crust.
Why might surface mining be less risky for miners than underground mining?
Surface mining is often less risky for miners than underground mining because it is conducted in open pits or quarries, reducing the risk of cave-ins or tunnel collapses. Surface mining typically involves less exposure to hazardous gases and chemicals that are common in underground mines. Additionally, surface mining operations are generally more mechanized, reducing the need for as much manual labor in potentially dangerous conditions.
Why is coal only found on certain places on earth?
Coal forms from the remains of ancient plants that have been buried and subjected to pressure and heat over millions of years. The distribution of coal deposits is determined by the conditions that were present during the time of coal formation, including the presence of swamps and the availability of plant material. These conditions were not uniform across the planet, leading to the uneven distribution of coal deposits.
How might the burning of coal in one area of the country affect the environment in another area?
Burning coal releases pollutants that can be carried by wind over long distances, affecting air quality and contributing to issues like smog and acid rain in other areas. It can also deposit harmful substances like mercury into water bodies, impacting aquatic ecosystems far from the source of the pollution. Additionally, coal combustion is a major contributor to global climate change, with emissions from one area contributing to broader environmental impacts worldwide.
Why would you expect a seam of coal to be deep in the ground?
A seam of coal is typically formed from plant material that has been buried and subjected to heat and pressure over time. Since the process of coal formation requires significant time and burial depth, it is common for coal seams to be found deep underground. Additionally, geological processes such as mountain-building and erosion can contribute to burial of coal seams over time.
Ask us anythingWhich best explains how coal deposits formed?
Coal deposits formed millions of years ago from the remains of ancient plants and organic material that were buried under sediments and subjected to heat and pressure. This process, known as coalification, transformed the plant material into coal over time. The type of coal formed depends on factors such as the amount of heat and pressure applied during the process.
What states have coal and oil deposits?
States with significant coal deposits include Wyoming, West Virginia, and Kentucky. States with significant oil deposits include Texas, Alaska, and North Dakota.
How frightening was it and is it down in a coal mine?
There are two types of coal mines: a slope mine and a vertical shaft mine. There is also surface mining, where rock is blasted and rock and earth are moved aside or trucked away as they expose coal veins.
We'll focus on slope mines and vertical mines.
Slope Mines
A slope mine originally started out (early 1800s) as a hole dug into the hillside, typically where coal was already seen on the surface (example: banks of the Monongahela River). To access those slope mines, men simply crawled into the hole on their bellies or backs, continually digging forward and pulling out earth, stones, and coal. This would be similar to today's gem hunting in the western US mountain areas, where men and women lay on their backs or bellies to dig deeper under the rock face or under a boulder.
Expansion of Slope Mines
Eventually, slope mines were enlarged so a man could walk semi-upright or be seated in a rail car to be taken deeper into the mine.... so the mine's roof was perhaps 4 feet high from the ground. Many West Virginia mines were slope mines originally.
Vertical Mines
Vertical mines means men could access the mine via an elevator system. An elevator car would take a team down and bring the men back up. These deep mines typically need ventilation shafts to bring air in, and for emergency escape IF assisted from the surface. For example, "The Quecreek Mine rescue took place in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, when nine miners were trapped underground for over 77 hours, from July 24 to 28, 2002. All nine miners were rescued." This was accomplished through a newly bored rescue hole, similar to a wide air vent bore hole.
Vertical mines by the late 1800s included a surface tipple and a coal conveyor system from within the mine to the surface, along with an elevator-cage system. Today's coal mines are pretty much the same, except much larger and more mechanized; men either walk in, eventually stooped over, or ride in cars on rails; or use elevator-cages.
HAZARDS OF MINES
- First, the environment inside a mine is typically warm and humid.
- Pockets of methane gas are a constant danger; methane is colorless and can catch fire/explode with a mere spark of one rock hitting another rock; from static electricity; from any source of fire or spark; from malfunction in machinery. Methane explosions and "toxic air" were leading causes of death in the 1800s.
- Flooding is a constant threat from underground water sources AND from a breach through the active mine's wall through to an abandoned but flooded mine.
- There are thousands of old, abandoned underground mines of various sizes and deteriorated conditions that were NEVER marked on any maps! It is therefore easy to be boring in one mine's wall and have a breach into an old mine's chamber.
- Old abandoned mine chambers can be full of methane, or flooded.
- Mines leave pillars of coal as the "studs" to hold up the roof of the mine. When a mine is played out (does not have enough coal to safely mine) or when the mine is deemed unsafe, these pillars can be deliberately blasted as a way to collapse the mine back to the entrance, so no one unauthorized can enter. But, coal pillars can also weaken on their own, causing a catastrophic collapse within the mine.
- In all mines, the "roof" or "ceiling", which can have miles of weight pressing down on it from the surface downward, is at once the most critical mine location, and the most destructive, fragile area. Roof collapse is deadly. A slate fall or coal fall from the roof can injure, crush, bury, or trap miners within the chamber they are in. Roof collapses were a common cause of injury, death, and being trapped in the 1800s.
- Mechanical failures that directly result in injury or death are less common than one might think. In the 1800s, men went into mines with helmets with a candle or lantern attached, and often took a canary--if the bird died, the miners knew to get out because the air was bad. Today, Mine Safety is much more sophisticated.
One of the worst mine disasters happened at the Marianna Mine, Marianna PA in Washington County, PA (SW PA). "At 10:55 a.m. on the morning of Saturday, November 28, 1908, an explosion occurred in the mine which killed 154 men and left only one survivor. Although the mine was quickly refurbished by the Pittsburg Buffalo Company, the colliery's fortunes flagged. By 1914, the mine was sold to the Union Coal and Coke Company and later to Bethlehem Steel which continued to extract coal until 1988, when the main conveyor caught fire. The fire was extinguished, but the mine closed anyway." (Wikipedia) Many of the men could not be reached and are entombed there.
Many coal mines became tombs throughout the 1800s. Many mines had roof/slate falls that killed one or more miners. Many NE US miners came as immigrants to work in the coal mines. In the bituminous mines, especially, there were many debates/fights over miner qualifications (the "practical miner") and the beginning of Mine Safety measures began in the late 1800s. The United Mine Workers UMW union was also started in SW PA in the early 1900s.
TO BE A MINER YOU MUST BE ABLE TO
- Work in confined spaces
- Tolerate claustrophobic conditions of tight space, total darkness if lights go out, and constant danger
- Learn safe mining practices
- Follow safe mining procedures to the letter
- Never let down your guard or become complacent
- Always protect fellow miners
- Appropriately use your mining gear and keep it in working order
- Know First-Aid and emergency medical equipment
- Know and Understand your escape routes
- Follow all directions superiors give
- Tolerate being blackened from coal dust, from head to foot
- Tolerate keeping your hardhat on at all times
- Eat while underground, without worrying about washing up first
- Be willing to learn from oldtimers every day
- Be willing to do long shifts
- Be willing to come back and do your next assigned shift
This is what millions of coal miners have done since the late 1700s. Millions of men did this job to supply coal and coke to steel factories, coal to railroads to power train engines, and to burn for heating homes and businesses. Men (and even women now) take huge risks to continue going underground for this resource.
Poor families also used to send children to coal refuse waste piles of earth that had bits of coal embedded in clay, to chisel coal from the rock/clay to use in families' homes. Poor and homeless often built fires in coal refuse mounds to stay warm in winters. Coal refuse would catch fire also, from internal combustion due to the build-up of heat inside the mound of coal refuse. Many small towns had refuse pits that burned for years. (Burning coal refuse--the unusable coal-- creates red dog, which was used on many rural roads before they made asphalt.)
One town's coal mine caught fire and is still burning under Centralia, PA which started in the 1960s, and eventually forced the US Government to relocate its residents.
Which state in the southwest has the most coal deposits?
Wyoming has the most coal deposits in the southwest region of the United States. It is the top coal-producing state in the country due to its extensive coal reserves and mining operations.
What is one major environmental problem caused by coal mining?
Water and land pollution caused by the waste deposits being dumped. Potential dangers of landslide from shale waste (Aberfan 1963). Waste entering the water course. Industrial machinery producing CO2 emissions, Dangers of emphysema to workers from dust created. and of course land displacement such as subsidence
Are coal beds found in swampy areas?
No. The plants from which coal was formed grew millions of years ago in places that were often swampy, but the Earth has changed a lot since then as the continents moved around, so the coal seams occur in all sorts of places now.
Why did coal mining decline in wales?
Coal mining in Wales declined due to a variety of factors including cheaper coal imports, depletion of easily accessible coal reserves, changing global energy markets, stricter environmental regulations, and increased competition from alternative energy sources. These factors collectively led to a structural decline in the coal mining industry in Wales.
