CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Which of the following is NOT true about coal?
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The purpose of mountaintop removal is to:
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Emissions from a coal-fired power plant include all of the following EXCEPT:
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How do miners separate coal from rock?
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How long are coal reserves expected to last in West Virginia?
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Which of the following is an example of reclamation?
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WORK WITH IDEAS
In your own words, describe the process of coal formation. Why is coal a finite resource?
What are the pros and cons of the two types of surface mining? Include in your answer a comparison of the extraction process, the energy return on energy investment (including external costs), and the waste-disposal process.
Define and describe the process of carbon capture and sequestration. Why is this process necessary? What are the costs and benefits of the process?
What are the environmental consequences of surface mining? Use specific examples from the chapter.
Describe the process of subsurface mining. What are the costs and benefits? Why do some miners prefer a subsurface mine to a surface mine, while mining companies prefer surface mines?
Define reclamation. Explain why, in your own words, reclamation is a controversial idea. Are there examples in which reclamation has succeeded?