Coal By: Josephine LatimerJonathan KlosopEvan Sedor

Topics to Cover

• Is coal a source of air pollution; what are the impacts of it?

• Health risks of mining

• Clean coal

• Surface and Underground Mining: Comparing their effects on the environment.

Coal: Source of Air Pollution?

● Pollution from coal powered plants produce smog○ Doctors say inhaling smog is like

sunburn for lungs ○ Triggers asthma attacks and

causes lung damage ● Soot pollution- a by product of

burning coal○ Exposure leads to heart attacks

and lung damage

Reduction of Impacts

● Improvements in technology○ highly effective

technologies developed to detect release of pollutants

● Pre Planning projects, pollution controls, monitoring effects of mining, coal industries minimizing impacts on communities

● Coal washing○ reduces ash content by

over 50%

Health Effects of Mining

● Acid Rain

● Dust and Noise Pollution

● Water Pollution

“Clean Coal”

• From 1970 to 2012 emissions of major pollutants from coal-fueled power plants has reduced 90%

• It’s not entirely clean but a lot cleaner and efficient than in the past

Can coal be converted to other forms of energy?

• Yes, a major source of the United States electricity comes from coal

• Coal is used to generate electricity in 48 states

• 39% of electricity in the

U.S. comes from coal

• There are over 600 coal

power plants in the U.S.

Methods of Coal Extraction

● There are two methods of coal extraction:○ Underground Mining○ Surface Mining

Underground Mining

● Deep Mining● Can be used to mine coal up to 1,000 feet

underground.● Early form of mining● They used elevators, hand tools, and several

machines to bring up coal.

Underground Mining: Environmental Impacts

● Methane gas trapped in the mines● Grounds above the mines can collapse● Water can get into the mines● Contaminated water left in abandoned mines

Surface Mining

● Two thirds of coal is mined using this method.● Coal beds less than 200 feet below the surface.● Cheaper mining● The use of heavy machinery to remove soil and

rocks to uncover coal streams.

Surface Mining: Environmental Impacts

● Mountaintop removal and valley filling● Dirt and rocks polluting streams● Other chemical pollutants in the water

Comparing Impacts of Mining Methods

● Methane Emissions:○ Underground Mining: 7% of total US

Methane emissions○ Surface Mining: 2% of total US Methane

emissions● Surface and Water Pollution:

○ Surface mining is considered more dangerous.

Does Clean Coal Exist?

● A question that has been greatly debated.● Many believe that there will never be a way to

capture the emissions from burning coal.● However, there are advancements being made

that could make this possible.

Clean Coal

● DOE’s (Department of Energy) Carbon Capture Program○ Conducted research on two different areas of

technology:■ Pre-Combustion Capture■ Post-Combustion Capture

Pre-Combustion Capture

● Removing CO2 before burning it in a power plant

● The coal is turned into a synthesis gas.● Water gas shift reaction● The CO2 is then captured and separated.

Post-Combustion Capture

● Deals with capturing CO2 after the coal is burned.

● Not used currently ● Not cost effective or efficient● Research in the field consists of:

○ Improvements on current CO2 separation○ CO2 capture options for larger existing

plants○ Advancing CO2 Compression technologies.

Post-Combustion Capture

Clean Coal: Issues and Outlooks

● These processes are still not ready for large scale use.

● The power generated would greatly decrease.● Equipment would not be cost effective.● However, this could change in the near future.● Some still remain skeptical of the idea of clean

coal.

Conclusion

• Coal is a source of pollution, causes problems such as asthma and lung damageo Health risks from pollution come in forms of acid

rain, dust and noise pollution and water pollution.

• Coal extraction has many harmful effects on the environment. However, underground mining, which is much more dangerous, is not as harmful to the environment as surface mining.

• Clean coal technology is used in small scale today, but is not ready for large scale plants. However, it may be in the near future.

Works Cited● “Carbon Capture R&D.” Energy.gov. U.S. Department of Energy, N.d. Web. 15 October 2013.

<http://energy.gov/fe/science-innovation/carbon -capture-and-storage-research/carbon-capture-rd>.

● U.S. Energy Information Administration. U.S. Energy Information Administration: Independent Statistics and Analysis. U.S. Department of Energy, 2011. Web.15 October 2013. <http://www.eia.gov/coal/>.

● "Coal Mining & the Environment."N.p.. Web. 15 Oct 2013<http://www.worldcoal.org/coal-the-environment/coal-mining-thenvironment/>.

● Walsh, Bryan. “Exposing the Myth of Clean Coal Power.” Time. Time Inc. 10, January 2009. Web. 15 October 2013.

● "How Air Pollution Threatens Our Health N.p.. Web. 15 Oct 2013. <."http://content.sierraclub.org/coal/.>

● "Coal Use & the Environment." N.p.. Web. 15 Oct 2013. <www.worldcoal.org.>

● Google Images