COAL MINING 4
Running head: COAL MINING 1
Coal mining
Name of student
Institutional Affiliation
Introduction
Coal is one of the earliest minerals that saw the advancement of technology. In the 19th century, coal was used to produce electricity and was used widely as a main source of energy. Up to today, coal is still used in many industries including steel industries and cement factories. There are several methods of mining coal which majorly depend on the depth of the coal and the topography of the land. They are grouped into underground mining and surface mining. The leading countries in the production of coal include China, United States, India, Australia, Russia, Indonesia, and South Africa among many others. The industry is however old as it faces many challenges that force many to look for alternative sources of energy.
Content
Competition from other sources of energy
Environmental hazard
Accidents and death in the mines
Competition from other sources of energy such as the nuclear sources of energy. With the advancement of technology, coal has been consequently replaced in most of its uses as man finds other more economical sources of energy to suit their needs (Lindholt, 2018). The needs of the growing technology gave rise to the need for a more reliable source of energy. In the older days, it was the cheapest form of energy and was readily available. Therefore, its mode of harnessing was cumbersome and required a lot of work. However, with the growth of technology, other sources of energy have been found. A good example is a nuclear energy. One nuclear plant can provide energy for a considerably large area.
Environmental challenges are the other greatest challenge facing coal mining. These include mine accidents, destruction of the environment, air pollution and damage to the water environment. During mining, there is a lot of dust and smoke that is released into the environment. During the production, a lot of carbon monoxide is released into the environment. The gas destroys the ozone layer which causes global warming (Dontala, 2015). With the need to counter global warming and prevent further destruction of the ozone layer, many environmental organizations have discouraged the use of coal as a source of energy and billed for reduced mining of coal. This has led to the loss of popularity of coal, and this person has turned to other sources of energy. During mining, a lot of waste is produced, and this causes water pollution and at times destroys water sources and water. The flow of acidic water from coal mines into water sources and rivers is the main source of water pollution. (“Environmental impacts of coal,” n.d.). This consequently has found the mining companies at war with the environmental activists which have led to further loss of popularity.
Deaths in the mines have been the greatest threat in the coal mining industry. There have been rampant deaths as a result of coal mines. Accidents from collapsing of coal mines lead to loss of many lives, and this has created a big challenge for the industry (Corbin, 2015). This to a big extent has led to widespread fear among people who work in the mines. The fear has made some neglect their jobs in fear for their lives. Loss of skilled workforce is a big blow to the industry. Replacing skilled workers is not easy and getting the new workers gain the skills and motivation to work is seemingly hard.
References
Environmental impacts of coal. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Environmental_impacts_of_coal
Dontala, S. P., Reddy, T. B., & Vadde, R. (2015). Environmental aspects and impacts its mitigation measures of corporate coal mining. Procedia Earth and Planetary Science, 11, 2-7.
Corbin, D. A. (2015). Life, Work, and Rebellion in the Coal Fields: The Southern West Virginia Miners, 1880-1922 2nd Edition. West Virginia University Press.
Lindholt, L., & Glomsrød, S. (2018). Phasing out coal and phasing in renewables–good or bad news for northern gas producers?. Energy Economics, 70, 1-11.