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III Resource Use
Published in Susan E. M. Selke, Packaging and the Environment, 1994
United States coal production in 1986 was 912 million tons, with about 90 million net tons exported. Kentucky, West Virginia, and Wyoming were the largest producers. Total United States energy obtained from coal was 17.5 quads, with 83 percent of coal consumption going to electrical utilities and 16 percent to industrial enterprises. Coal was the primary energy source for 56 percent of United States electricity production, with 90 percent of this coal bituminous grade (Buchanan and Gaylinn, 1987). In 1989 the United States consumed 19.0 quads of coal, with exports amounting to 14 percent of production (Lynd et al., 1991). United States coal reserves are estimated at 300 years supply (Shelly and Fouhy, 1992). In 1980, approximately 60 percent of United States coal was obtained by strip mining and the rest by underground mining (ReVelle and ReVelle, 1984). Though both types of mining can damage the environment, strip mining especially has significant potential for damage. It is estimated that nearly half-a-million acres of land in the United States have been devastated by strip mining, and 6,700 miles of streams have been contaminated by acid mine drainage (Owen, 1985). The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 mandates restoration of land and control of acid contamination. Other environmental effects of coal production include emissions from combustion, and adverse health effects for workers, especially in underground mines.
Energy Resources
Published in Dexter Perkins, Kevin R. Henke, Adam C. Simon, Lance D. Yarbrough, Earth Materials, 2019
Dexter Perkins, Kevin R. Henke, Adam C. Simon, Lance D. Yarbrough
The most common methods of surface mining include strip mining, contour mining, and mountaintop removal. Strip mining involves removing layers of sediment and rock (collectively called overburden) to expose coal seams below. Shallow strip mines are less expensive than deep ones, and generally, strip mining is economical if the thickness of overburden to the thickness of the coal seam is less than 20:1. Miners use giant shovels, called drag lines, to remove and preserve topsoil. The underlying layers of sediment and rock are then removed one by one to expose the coal.
The USA and Canada
Published in Peter R. Mounfield, World Nuclear Power, 2017
Strip mining is the quickest, cheapest and most profitable way of extracting about a third of the coal remaining in the USA, particularly the environmentally desirable low sulphur coal in the West, which is often close to the surface. However, uncontrolled strip mining in the past has resulted in savage destruction of land and watersheds in eastern Montana, while other western coal districts may yet see the kind of landscape degradation that has devastated eastern Kentucky (Atwood 1975).
Selective screening of coal to improve the washability characteristics at different levels of size reduction
Published in International Journal of Coal Preparation and Utilization, 2022
S. K. Sriramoju, Rashmi Singh, M. Sengupta, S. Akhter, P. S. Dash
Coals from West Bokaro, Tata Steel’s captive colliery were used for the present study. During the mining process, strip mining methodology is being employed to collect the coal seam-wise (Layer of coal pit, where coal properties are assumed to be similar). During the process of strip mining, blasting generates fracture and the crack propagates through coal matrix and generates coal with a size ranges 0–1200 mm (Jaiswal et al. 2018) for different coal seams. Since the coal property varies at different seams and determines plant performance (Bournival et al. 2019), samples were collected from three different seams, namely Seam A, B, and C, which were bottom-to-top. Samples were collected at different parts of crushing circuit i.e.primary crusher output (Belt-A), secondary crusher output (Belt-B), and tertiary crusher output (Belt-C) as shown in Fig. 1. Samples were collected at three different intervals for repeatability. Standard sampling techniques were used for collecting the samples, where samples were collected over 1 m belt length.
A mixed integer linear programming framework for optimising the extraction strategy of open pit – underground mining options and transitions
Published in International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment, 2020
Bright Oppong Afum, Eugene Ben-Awuah, Hooman Askari-Nasab
Mining methods for surface extraction include open pit mining, open cast or strip mining, quarrying, and highwall mining while underground mining (referred to as underground stoping) include open stoping, room and pillar stoping, longwall stoping, cut-and-fill stoping, sublevel stoping, shrinkage stoping, backfill stoping, cave mining, sublevel caving and block caving [16]. In this paper, surface mining method mainly focuses on open pit mining while underground mining method focuses on open stoping. Optimisation studies for each specific mining option, especially surface or open-pit mining is common. However, optimisation studies that sort to find the suitable mining option for any deposit involving both open pit and underground extraction is uncommon. The optimal mining option for extracting a near-surface deposit may include: (a) independent open pit (OP) mining; (b) independent underground (UG) mining; (c) simultaneous open pit and underground (OPUG) mining; (d) sequential OPUG mining; and (e) combinations of sequential and simultaneous OPUG mining.
Production key figures for planning the mining of manganese nodules
Published in Marine Georesources & Geotechnology, 2018
Sebastian Ernst Volkmann, Felix Lehnen
A strip mining concept requires the identification of continuously mineable areas. Most software applications already provide comparable filters for this purpose, e.g., ArcGIS™. Developed filters already assume a strip-like mining pattern. This is inspired by traffic patterns of farming machines (Grisso et al. 2002; Poncet et al. 2016). The intention here is not to result in an optimal field design and mining route, but to identify continuous areas which would favor mining long, narrow strips. A circular (CIR-) filter (Figure 7a) has not proven to be efficient as narrow areas are not detected, which are potentially mineable. The bidirectional (VER-) filter (Figure 7b) is neither suitable as it would be too restrictive for future mine planning. The combined (MIX-) filter (Figure 7d) seems to be most suitable as advantages of both filters are combined. Although filter settings must be further fine-tuned, it can be pointed out that the geology favors a strip-like mining pattern. Sound criteria to differentiate nonmineable from mineable areas have still to be investigated.