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MINING
Lesson 2 - Page 5

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There are two basic ways to mine coal, surface and subsurface mining. Surface mining involves removing the overburden (earth and rock covering the coal) with heavy earth moving equipment and scooping out the coal. Presently, after mining is completed in surface mines, they reclaim the area by reestablishing vegetation and plant life.

The second method extracts coal from seams of coal within sedimentary strata. The coal is reached by drilling two openings into the coal bed to transport workers and equipment and to send coal to the surface. Both openings serve to circulate air in the mine. This is a difficult way of extracting coal, especially prior to equipment specializing in coal extraction. 


Surface mining of coal


Subsurface mining of coal

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