Coal has remained the main source of energy in the uk from 1700 to the end of 1970s, and it still plays an important role in the power generation. Coal mining adversely affects the ecosystem as a whole. Therefore, the coal has to be used sustainably as coal reserves are depleting rapidly. Mechanized coal mining, environment protection, deforestation,pollution control measures, biodiversity, coal fires, health impacts on mining workers, health impact on surrounding communities. Some of these can be quantified by estimates, others are difficult to estimate. In 2004, the coal and lignite mining industry generated a gross income of r39 billion and directly employed 50,000 people. Th e pr esent wor k is an attempt to bring into focus the impact of coal minin g on the. Environmental and social impacts are divided into waste management.
This case study focuses on the costs of the environmental and social effects of coal mining in south africa, undertaken for export to the netherlands. The paper enumerates the fact and fallacies of various health and environmental impacts of coal mining such as its impact on landform, soil. The worsening energy shortage and the recent decline in coal mining productivity stimulated the panel to consider all factors influencing coal mining activities so that it could make recommendations for improving the environmental acceptability of coal mining and the health and safety of miners while also increasing productivity and improving. World organizations and international agencies, like the iea, are concerned about the environmental impact of burning fossil fuels, and coal in particular, because of its contribution to acid rain and air pollution, and has been connected with global warming due to the release of greenhouse gasses, such as co2 and others. Mining and burning coal for fuel is harmful to the environment. Coal mining affects the water environment by causing a drop in the ground water table. These processes also have an impact on the atmosphere from the emissions of. Global coal industry and reserves the coal deposits although exist in nearly every region, commercially exploitable deposits occur in. This case study focuses on the costs of the environmental and social effects of coal mining in. Coal mining imposes many external costs on its surroundings and the people who live in it. If the pore water pressure is reduced significantly, effective pressure will. The consequences range from the spontaneous combustion of coal to the release of acidic waters from pyrite oxidation. With the passage of the surface mining control and reclamation act of 1977 congressional interest in the study of deep underground mining technology shifted. Coal and gas fail the test when it comes to environmental.
Since coal remains the single biggest contributor to greenhouse gases worldwide, methods for minimising environmental impacts of coal combustion are. Chinese coal mine accidents killed 4,700 people in 2006. The damage this does to the surrounding environment and water supply is devastating. Assessing the environmental impacts of coal mining using analytical hierarchy process. Environmental impacts of coal mining and coal utilization. A complete revision of environmental implications of expanded coal utilization. Unfortunately, this book cant be printed from the openbook. Using stream insects to predict the health of rivers with coal mine inputs pdf file, 612. Stateofthe art analytical techniques and modelling software should be used to study emissions, transport. Director, pec university of technology, chandigarh, india. Coal is south africas third largest source of foreign exchange.
Proceedings of international conference on treia2008 at nagpur, nov. The primary impacts arise from mining, particularly underground mining, largely because south african coal mines are. Many communities in developed countries have struggled against the impacts of coal mining. In fact in most environmental impact statements for coal and gas proposals there is little hard information on the economic and social costs of projects. Coal mining displaces large amounts of water, which in turn alters local water tables. Environmental and social impacts of mining and their mitigation conference paper pdf available september 2016 with 17,708 reads how we measure reads. In roomandpillar mines, columns of coal are left to support the ground above during the initial mining process, then they are often taken out and. Saline waters occurring in underground coal mines in poland often contain natural radioactive isotopes, mainly 226ra from uranium series and228ra. This environmental impact assessment eia report will comprehensively detail the natural and sociocultural impacts associated with the mining and use of coal in hwange and issues contributing to microclimate change in and around the area. About coal mining impacts greenpeace international. Environmental impacts of coal mining and associated wastes. The environmental impact of the coal industry includes issues such as land use, waste management, water and air pollution, caused by the coal mining, processing and the use of its products.
The negative effects of coal mining cannot be disputed. Management, monitoring, and auditing strategies covers all the aspects related to mining and the environment, including environmental assessment at the early planning stages, environmental management during mine operation, and the identification of major impacts. Environmental impact of mining and mineral processing. Coal mining affects the environment in several ways.
Environmental impacts from coal mining and transport. The primary impacts arise from mining, particularly underground mining, largely because. A study of raniganj and jharia coal field in india sribas goswami1 abstract coal mining adversely affects the ecosystem as a whole. If you need to print pages from this book, we recommend downloading it as a pdf. Extraction of csg or coal the definitions of csg development and large coal mining development relate to impacts on a water resource of activities that form part of the process of extracting coal or csg. Introduction mining is an important economic activity in many countries all over the world. The paper discusses the current coal consumption in the uk together with environmental impacts of coal mining, coal processing and coal utilisation for power generation. The social and environmental consequences of coal mining in. These mining operations remove the soil and rock above coal deposits, or seams. Steps are taken in modern mining operations to minimise impacts on all aspects of the environment. In appalachia, coal companies blow the tops off of mountains to get at the coal. Environmental aspects and impacts its mitigation measures.
Environmental and social impacts of mining have been welldocumented and an ample literature exists on this topic. The largest surface mines in the united states are in wyoming. Impacts can result in erosion, sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, or the contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water by the chemicals emitted from mining processes. Environmental impact assessment report for hwange coal. There are 2 ways to mine coal strip mining and underground mining both ways have their own impact to the environment and health. If a proposed mining project involves the construction of any access roads, then the environmental impact assessment eia for the project must include a comprehensive assessment of the environmental and social impacts of these roads. We know it but coal is such a cheap energy source that we dont want to let go of it. Surface mines sometimes called strip mines were the source of about 63% of the coal mined in the united states in 2018. Environmental and other effects of mining and transport ccc281. Predicting the effects of coal mines on aquatic environments pdf file, 545. Coal starts as peat, or sections of partially decomposed organic matter that accumulate on the earths surface. Mining activities, community, environmental impacts, health hazards, disorders. To find out the impact of coal mining on environment in raniganj and jharia coalfield. Environment and social issues related to coal mining coal mining has significant impact on land and land use, some of the land related.
The primary impacts arise from mining, particularly underground mining, largely because south african coal mines are relatively shallow. The increase in effective pressure is accompanied by reduction in void ratio or settlement. Impact of coal mining on environment article pdf available in european researcher 923. India is the third largest coal producer in the world and has substantial coal reserves 204 billion tonnes, plus 63 billion tonnes of prognosticated reserves. Coal seam gas and large coal mining developmentsimpacts on water resources 3.
Mining is the first step in the dirty life cycle of coal. The following discussion summarizes those environmental and social issues that formed the basis for the mining and critical ecosystems framework. In africa, because of economic pressures and slower evolution of environmental awareness, local communities have been particularly exposed to the detrimental effects of contamination arising from mining. The paper enumerates the fact and fallacies of various health and environmental impacts of coal mining such as its impact on landform, soil, water regime, atmosphere, flora and fauna and human health. Environmental impact of the coal industry wikipedia. It is important to conduct suitable assessment studies to learn the potential adverse impact of mining on flora and fauna.
Economic impact of coal mining in south africa afri coal. In addition to atmospheric pollution, coal burning produces hundreds of millions of tons of solid waste products annually, including fly ash, bottom ash, and fluegas desulfurization. Environmental cumulative effects of coal underground mining. Groundwater impacts of coal mining in the galilee basin. Coal washing gives rises to large waste dumps, which may ignite spontaneously and cause air pollution.
Last week a scottish power executive called for coal to be excluded from the uks capacity. A study of raniganj and jharia coal field in india article pdf available october 2015 with 6,052 reads how we measure reads. To elucidate the coal mining practice in raniganj and jharia coalfield. However, producing and using coal affects the environment. Pdf environmental and social impacts of mining and their. Around 15% of the countrys gdp 2000 estimate is spent on energy and 77% of that is derived from coal. Environmental impact assessment of coal mining activity in enugu metropolis, enugu state, nigeria corresponding author. While underground mining, which allows coal companies to extract deeper deposits of coal, is viewed as less destructive than strip mining, the effects of mining widespread damage to the environment. Environmental impact assessment of mining projects 17.
What is the environmental impact of mining and burning coal. Assessing the environmental impacts of coal mining using. In this way, coal mining has multidimensional impacts on the environment both directly or indirectly. Pdf environmental impact assessment of coal mining. Lately, the urbanization boom has caused a surge in demand for energy and water.
Coal mining requires large areas of land to be temporarily disturbed. There is a need for more indepth case studies to clarify the biogeochemical and ecological footprint and environmental sustainability of mining. Chapter 11 mining technology the federal coal leasing amendments act of 1976 charged ota to assess the feasibility of the use of deepmining technology on leased areas. To analyze the various proximate factors influencing the coal mining projects. Effects of mining on the environment and human health. The relationship between coal mining and water use varies with location and activity. Mines are quick to dig up and destroy forests and soils. The impact of coal mining on land, water, health of workers, air and social impact on surrounding villages and cities is evaluated and environment management plan of coal mining is developed. Opencast mining accounts for 74% of the total coal output and the remaining 26% is met by underground mining. Environmental impacts of coal mining and coal utilization in the uk. To determine the impact of coal mining, measured as the number of coal miningrelated facilities nearby ones residence or employment in an occupation directly related to coal mining, on selfrated health in appalachia. But once the coal is gone, the problems they leave behind, like acid mine drainage, can.
Minimising environmental impacts of mining factsheets. When coal mines move in, whole communities are forced off their land by expanding mines, coal fires, subsidence, and overused and contaminated water supplies. Chinas coal resources is the reverse sun, wu et al. Impact of mining activities on various environmental.
The social and environmental consequences of coal mining. Groundwater impacts of coal mining in the galilee basin 5 the series of coal mines proposed for queenslands galilee basin, on the edge of great artesian basin recharge beds, stand to have a significant impact on the regions groundwater resources, yet these risks. Proper environment impact assessment of coal mining is very important and here we take some issues which should be considered and some mitigation measures are discussed. Environmental impacts of coal mining nikki johnson. To find out the various components of the environment related with the coal mining projects. It is an essential human activity to provide rough materials for the society. Environmental impacts of mining can occur at local, regional, and global scales through direct and indirect mining practices. The paper discusses the current coal consumption in the uk together with environmental impacts of coalmining, coal processing and coal utilisation for power. By carefully preplanning projects, implementing pollution control measures, monitoring the effects of mining and rehabilitating mined areas, the coal industry minimises the. Pdf environmental impacts of coal mining and coal utilization in. Environmental impact of coal mining on the natural environment in. Environmental cumulative effects of coal underground mining unlike open mining, underground mining extracting coal resources through the wells, usually leads to land subsidence, water resources destruction, soil erosion, air pollution and biodiversity decrease.