Coal Energy
Percent of coal that is anthracite mined in the U.S
0.5%
What are the 4 main types of coal
Anthracite, Bituminous, Subbituminous, Lignite
What Bituminous Coal is used for
Generate Electricity
Why is Surface mining used more in the u.s.
Less expensive
What common metal is coal used to create
Steel
how do power-plants reduce the impacts of sulfur in smoke
they use flue gas desulfurization equipment known as scrubbers to clean the sulfur in the smoke before it leaves the power plant.
what are scrubbers used for
to clean sulfur and mercury
What is mountaintop removal mining
tops of mountains are removed using explosives and mining tools
What percent of greenhouse gas emissions come from underground mining in the U.S
1%
How much Coal was produced in 2011 by the U.S.
1094.3 Million short tons
How much of coal is mined using surface mining method
2/3
How many States mine coal?
25
Composition of Lignite
25-35% Carbon
Composition of Subbituminous
35-45% Carbon
What percent of electricity generated is through coal in the U.S
37%
Percent of coal that is Subbituminous mined in the u.s
44%
Composition of Bituminous Coal
45-86% Carbon
Percent of coal that is Bituminous mined in the U.S
50%
Percent of coal that is Lignite mined in the U.S.
7%
What percent of methane emissions come from underground mining in the U.S
7%
how much of our coal is mined through surface mines
70%
How is coal transported
72% of coal is transported by train, the rest is by barge, ship, bus or pipeline
As of 2012, what is the percent of carbon dioxide emissions from coal
74%
Composition of Anthracite
86-97% Carbon,
How much coal is used for electricity in the U.S
93%
Process of the coal
After extraction, coal is put on a conveyor belt to a preparation plant at the mining station where the coal is cleaned and processed to remove excess materials.
Why is the main transportation not done with barges
Barges are cheaper to ship coal, but cant go as many places as trains and trucks can
Color of Coal
Black or brownish- black
Where does Coal come from
Coal comes from energy stored by plants millions of years ago
How is coal used to generate electricity
Coal is burned to make steam, steam is used to spine turbines, which generate eletricity
Why is mountaintop removal bad for the environment
Debris fills valleys and contaminates streams and rivers killing aquatic and terrestrial wildlife
Process of Underground mining
Elevators are used to transfer miners and coal up to 1000 feet below the surface, where machines are operated to harvest the coal
Process of Surface Mining
Giant machines remove the top layer of ground above the coal seam to reveal the coal seam and put it back when the mining is completed
How is Bituminous Coal is formed
High Heat and Pressure
What are the pro's of mining coal
Inexpensive to produce, abundant
What are the three main regions that coal is found in called
Interior, Appalachian and western coal regions
How is coal used to make steel
Its baked in hot furnaces to make coke, which is used to smelt iron ore
Why is underground mining dangerous to the miner
Mines can cave in, acidic water can drain from abandoned mines
What are the con's of mining coal
Mining process hurts the environment
How much of our coal is produced in the western region
More than 1/2
How much of our coal is produced in the Appalachian region
More than 1/3
Which State is the largest coal producer in the Interior region
Texas
Why do underground mines not affect the environment that much
They are hundreds of feet underground
How Coal is mined
Two methods: surface or underground mining with giant machines.
Which State is the largest coal producer in the Appalachian region
West Virginia
Which states are the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th largest coal producers?
West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Texas
When can surface mining be used
When coal is less than 200 feet underground
Which State is the largest coal producer in the Western region
Wyoming
which state mines the most coal
Wyoming
What is a common ailment of underground miners
black lung disease
What are two laws that have reduced the impact of coal use
clean air act and clean water act
How is coal shipped through pipes
coal is crushed and mixed with water so it can travel through pipes. Known as slurrys
What are underground mines main impact on the environment
methane gas distribution
What are two major industries other than electricity that coal is used in
paper and concrete
materials that are extracted from the coal at the processing plant
rocks, dirt, ash, and sulfur
What are the six principal emissions from coal
sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulates, carbon dioxide, mercury, and fly ash.
