Appendix E: Coal Mining and Processing Methods | Coal ...
In surface mining, the ground covering the coal seam (the overburden) is first removed to expose the coal seam for extraction. The elements of a surface mining operation are (1) topsoil removal and storage for later use, (2) drilling and blasting the strata overlying the coal seam, (3) loading and transporting this fragmented overburden material (called spoil), (4) drilling and blasting the ...
Coal | National Geographic Society
Coal is a black or brownish-black sedimentary rock that can be burned for fuel and used to generate electricity.It is composed mostly of carbon and hydrocarbons, which contain energy that can be released through combustion (burning). Coal is the largest source of energy for generating electricity in the world, and the most abundant fossil fuel in the United States.
4 Coal Mining and Processing | Coal: Research and ...
The U.S. coal industry serves a vital role in the nation's economy by producing fuel for more than half of its electricity. Despite the industry's importance, industry financial data for 2005—the strongest year for the coal industry in recent years—shows that it is a relatively small industry with revenues totaling $20 billion to $25 billion and net income between $1 billion and $2 ...
Coal - Wikipedia
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams.Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal is formed when dead plant matter decays into peat and is converted into coal by the heat and pressure of deep burial over millions of years.
