Science Essay- Coal mining should not be banned in Australia.
Coal mining is the biggest mining industry in Australia. If coal mining was to be banned in Australia it would create a damaging ripple effect throughout many communities. This wouldn’t just affect Australia, but there would be a global impact as Australia in 2012 exported about 5/6ths of coal that was produced in Australia. The coal that was exported earned Australia about 50 billion dollars. This industry being banned would put an enormous dent in Australia's economy and also create unemployment. Coal mining has many downfalls that affect the environments but there is technology out there to minimize environmental impacts and to make coal more reliable. The Australian government
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Cutting off coal mining completely in Australia would affect the generation of electricity and create a big problem as 75% of electricity is produced by the use of coal in Australia.
This energy can be produced all the time due to technology, this makes it more reliable and efficient than other forms of energy. Another benefit is that coal is relatively one of the cheapest forms of energy around the world, making it a big positive for the people in developing countries.
A large quantity of Australia’s population works in the mining sector and if industry were to be shut down it would put an extensive amount of people out of work which then results in people relying on the government for an income until they find work elsewhere. This knocks the economy big time.
Coal mining has strict guidelines that the industry must follow before the construction may begin. The reasoning for this is so they can reduce impacts and refine a plan to recondition and conserve the land after mining is complete. This industry works extremely hard on reserving water use and supply, they find innovative ways to reduce, reuse and recycle the water. The use of water also has strict guideline they must meet before they are able to access
The period in American history between 1900 and 1920 was a very turbulent one. Civil unrest was brewing as a result of many pressures placed upon the working class. Although wealth was accumulating at an astonishing rate in America, most people at the lower economic levels were not benefiting from any of it. Worst of all for them, the federal government seemed to be on the side of the corporations. Their helpless situation and limited options is why the coal strike of 1902 is so important.
Coal is considerably one of the most important sources of energy in nature and is one the most significant sources for power generation worldwide. The excavation and importance of coal became mainstream and apparent during the Industrial Revolution of the 19th and 20th centuries.
As I am sure you know mining has a extremely negative impact to the land but many good things come out of it. The mines in Broken hill have generated more than 100 billion dollars and a large amount of this has been given to the Broken Hill community. Broken hill has not only given Australia multiple resources but has also given so many Australians great jobs and memories that will impact their life forever.
Mining has a great impact on aquatic ecosystems, like creeks,wetlands, and lakes. From the perspective of a ecological and recreational point of view, the impact mining has is significant. This mining affects all of its inhabitants whether it being the fish that supplement nutrients through creeks, to the people who drink it.(Klemow Effects of mining on aquatic ecosystems n.pg) Prior to the 1977 federal water pollution control act, Mining companies would proceed with the exercise of strip mining, and the removal of culm material would proceed, without regarding the destruction of the ecosystems.(Frelich, n.pg) Water goes through some mines, and can seep into fractured bedrock which in result can contaminate water when resurfaced down the watershed.(Frelich, n.pg) Stream channels are usually altered on mined sites due to the contaminated water because the bedrock can contain radioactive substances, which cause a lot of erosion and some species cannot handle the amount of sediment deposition.(Frelich, n.pg) Another concern is the destruction of wetlands. they have many benefits in regard to the environment, and are now in protection by the government.Wetlands trap sediments and dissolved pollutants. But due to Mining has caused dirty water to to block the absorption of the sediments and can cause flooding in forests. Mining also impacts forests and terrestrial ecosystems.dissolve other materials such as metals and they can leak
Water is a natural resource in the world and due to mining it is becoming scarce. Surrounding communities are forced to relocate due to the mining companies operating in their area and using their drinking water. Diamond mining uses large quantities of water and thus ends up polluting the water or dehydrating the environment around it; in turn causing soil erosion due to the dryness of the ground.
What comes to mind when you think of coal mining? If you're like me, coal mining means living in darkness and a cold hearted industry. Other words that come to mind are poverty and oppression. Coal mining is not a job that you dream about or get a degree for. People who are coal miners do not chose a life full of danger and repression, they get stuck with it. There are many dangers that come along with coal mining, not only for the workers, but for the environment. Coal mining and the coal industry have caused irreversible damage to our environment and has killed innocent miners.
The development of science and technology has led to people considering using alternative fuels to generate electricity. There are many alternative fuels that can generate electricity, such as natural gas, nuclear energy, wind energy, hydraulic power and so on (Fossil Fuels Used to Generate Electricity Power Plant Emissions of North America). According to the statistics by the U.S. Energy Information Administration in 2009, the usage of coal was still the largest source to generate the power. Sources of electricity in the United States were generated by 44.9% of coal, 20.3% of nuclear, 23.4% of natural gas, 1% of petroleum, 6.9% of hydroelectric conventional and 3.6% of others (Electric Power Monthly with Data for February 2014). Coal is the main source of electricity in many parts of the world, including the United States. One of the reason why most countries prefer to use coal to generate the electricity is that the cost of using coal is cheaper than other sources but powerful. The coal power stations are much easier to set up than other power station. There are many advantages in generating power from coal. Coal as a source of electricity is economic, safe, effective and it is easy to eliminate the secondary pollutions and so on. As a result, the usage of coal should remain its status and cannot be replaced by other fuels.
By far the cheapest options amongst power options today. Also, the most used power option in the United States at 33% (“U.S. Energy Information Administration”, WEB). However, with coal comes many problems. From CO2 emissions from the power plant, dangerous mining operations, or transporting the coal. “Given the abundant coal reserves in countries such as China (but, for example, also in the US and Poland), the likelihood of a strict decarbonisation policy can be however be questioned (Rennings 353).”
It is not sinister as you may have been led to believe. Coal can be mined and burned. coal, natural gas, and oil supply the vast majority of our energy needs, including more than
Improved public health and environmental quality. Generating electricity from renewable energy rather than fossil fuels offers significant public health benefits. The air and water pollution emitted by coal and natural gas plants is linked to breathing problems, neurological damage, heart attacks, and cancer.Apr 8, 2013Improved public health and environmental quality. Generating electricity from renewable energy rather than fossil fuels offers significant public health benefits. The air and water pollution emitted by coal and natural gas plants is linked to breathing problems, neurological damage, heart attacks, and cancer.Apr 8, 2013Improved public health and environmental quality. Generating electricity from renewable energy rather than fossil
Coal while cheap and abundant is a large producer of carbon dioxide and its soaring use all over the globe is leading towards a catastrophic outcome. In fact, the combustion of coal is responsible for more than 70% of CO2 emissions, dwarfing those from any other fuel used for generating electricity. However, coal is too low-cost, too plentiful and too available from reliable sources to be replaced. This can change and coal can be clean, if the carbon dioxide is captured.
Burning and mining coal for fuel is harmful to the environment but because how cheap and easy it is to find many people are unwilling to give it up as a fuel source. One of the problems with coal is that they are limited and are non-renewable so once it has been used we won’t be able to use it again.
Surface mining can lead to the drastic changes of landscapes, destruction of habitat, damages to water supplies, and air pollution. Also the loss or degradation of forest further degrades groundwater because coal seams are often serve as underground aquifers, removal of coal beds may result in drastic changes in hydrology after mining has been completed. Moreover, surface mining causes green house gas emission since mountaintop removal releases large amounts of carbon through clear cutting and burning of trees. Beside, liquid coal known as sludge is generated by washing coal. It is typically disposed of at impoundments located near coal mines, but in some cases it is directly injected into abandoned underground mines. Since coal sludge contains toxins, leaks or spills can endanger underground and surface waters. The coal mining activities have exposed rocks containing the sulphur-bearing mineral pyrite. Pyrite reacts with air and water to form sulphuric acid and dissolved iron, and as water washes through mines, this compound forms a dilute acid, which can wash into nearby rivers and streams called Acid Mine Drainage (AMD). The transportation of coal is another issue because coal is often transported via trucks, railroads, and large cargo ships, which release air pollution such as soot and can lead to disasters that ruin the environment. (Environmental Impacts of
Coal is the largest source of energy for the generation of electricity worldwide, at the same time, one of the largest anthropogenic sources of oxides of carbon and other green house gases released in to atmosphere. Coal gasification has emerged as a cleaner technology for production of combustible gases for power and heat generation which reduces the carbon dioxide emission.
In our days, mining for resources is inevitable. The resources we need are valuable in everyday life. Such resources mined up are coal, copper, gold, silver, and sand. However, mining poses environmental risks that can degrade the quality of soil and water, which can end up effecting us humans if not taken care of and many of the damages are irreversible once they have occurred.