Strip mining

Colossal earth-moving machines became symbols in the 1960s-1970s environmental battles over surface coal mining, also known as “strip mining.” These machines – some capable of scooping two-to-three Greyhound bus-size equivalents of earth with each bite – laid waste to tens of thousands of acres as they uncovered near-surface coal to feed electric power plants. In 1972-73, a trio of these machines, then chewing through southeastern Ohio, became involved in a controversial proposal: to cross, and temporarily shut down, a major interstate highway to get to the coal on the other side. The event became a symbolic and actual “line-in-the-sand” confrontation between those opposed to strip mining and those who saw it as vital for energy, jobs, and local economies. The February 1973 issue of Smithsonian magazine ran a dramatic shot of “The GEM of Egypt” in operation in the Egypt Valley of Ohio, just north of I-70, as the magazine featured a story on “the need for energy vs. strip mining.” Note size of the shovel’s bucket relative to the vehicles on the road below. Photo, Arthur Sirdofsky. There were three of the giant machines at issue: The Tiger, The Mountaineer, and The GEM of Egypt. All three were then in the service of the Hanna Coal Company, which by 1970, had been strip mining in Ohio for decades and was then a division of the much larger Pittsburgh Consolidation Coal Company, later known as “Consol,” itself then owned by Continental Oil. More on Hanna/Consol and the big mach...

What Does Strip Mining Mean? Strip mining is a mineral-extraction process in which a layer or seam of undesired material (called “overburden”) is removed from the surface of an area to allow efficient access to a desired material existing underneath the layer being stripped. As the process suggests, it is a form of surface mining, and it is primarily used to extract material that lays relatively close to the surface. There are two types of strip-mining approaches. The first and most common approach is referred to as area mining; it is used on fairly flat terrain and involves the removal of long strips (potentially hundreds of meters) at once. In this approach, the overburden removed from each new strip is deposited into the excavated area left by the previous strip. The second approach, called contour mining, is used on hilly terrain and involves stripping land in a manner that mirrors its topography. Safeopedia Explains Strip Mining Strip-mining processes are subject to a variety of occupational and environmental health and safety regulations in any advanced country in which the activity is practiced. Because mining is recognized as a particularly hazardous occupation with a number of practice-specific safety hazards, these regulations may be enforced by an industry-specific oversight body. For instance, in the United States, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), not OSHA, is responsible for enforcing regulations related to mine safety. Typical strip-mining ha...

Texas is undeniably a • is the nation’s • is the • produces this lignite coal The American Society for Testing and Materials groups different types of coal into Coal Fields of the Conterminous United States by Coal-fired power plants exist in Texas where “you’re literally digging [lignite coal] out of the ground, putting it on a conveyor belt, and it’s going right into the power plant” says Texas lignite coal is produced exclusively via surface strip mining (also called open-pit mining). While Texas historically been produced its lignite using underground coal mining, producers began using strip mining techniques in the 1920s. But, To listen to an August interview on NPR’s Marketplace about lignite coal in Texas – see The views expressed are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of Scientific American. Next Window Material Can Let in Sunshine While Blocking Heat • By Melissa C. Lott on August 27, 2015 • 1 Support Science Journalism Discover world-changing science. Explore our digital archive back to 1845, including articles by more than 150 Nobel Prize winners. Follow us • instagram • soundcloud • youtube • twitter • facebook • rss

For those who are unfamiliar, strip mining is a form of surface mining that focuses on the collection of tar sand and coal, which both rest somewhat close to Earth’s surface. Those who support strip mining point to the increased ease of access and all of its attendant benefits. Detractors point to the controversies surrounding this method. The following is a closer examination of the pros and cons. The Pros of Strip Mining 1. High Recovery Rate Other forms of mining do not guarantee the same rate of return as strip mining does. Materials are recovered at a rate of up to 90 percent during strip mining, which is a much higher recovery rate than most forms of mining can promise. Tunnel mining, for instance, only offers users a potential recovery rate of 50 percent. 2. Strip Mining Is Faster Most other mining techniques require the digging of tunnels, which adds additional time to the process. Strip mining does not rely on the digging of tunnels and since the route to the surface is much shorter, this also cuts down on the amount of time spent. Retrieving minerals and transporting them is much simpler when using strip mining methods. 3. Much Less Expensive Since strip mining has an easier process and a higher recovery rate, this leads to much lower costs across the board. Production costs can be slashed across the board and less safety precautions need to be taken, which also leads to a decrease in costs. It is one of the most, if not the most, inexpensive mining format curren...

Surface mining makes up a huge percent of mining projects. Surface mining refers to the removal of the terrain surface to access minerals underneath. In particular, surface mining is used to retrieve sand, gravel, stones, coal, iron and other metals. There are five recognized types of surface mining, each with specific variations depending on the minerals being extracted. These include strip mining, open-pit mining, mountaintop removal, dredging and highwall mining. Why Choose Surface Mining? Surface mining is often the preference for mining companies. This is because removing the terrain surface, or overburden, to access the mineral beneath is often more cost-effective than gouging tunnels and subterranean shafts to access minerals underground. This method is often considered safer, as well, and doesn’t require extensive electricity rigging and water piping. Strip Mining Strip mining gets its name from the fact that the process involves stripping the surface away from the mineral that’s being excavated (usually coal). Soil, rock, and vegetation over the mineral seam is removed with huge machines, including bucket-wheel excavators. This type of mining makes sense when the mineral is near the surface. If the ore is too far under the surface, the process of strip mining becomes impractical and needlessly damaging to the terrain. Two types of strip mining exist, depending on the amount of ore under the surface, and the surrounding terrain. They are: • Area Stripping extracts ...

An aerial photo of the accident scene. An approximately 1,000-pound rock tumbled nearly 650 feet down a steep, wooded hillside and smashed into the wall of Jeremy Davidson's bedroom, killing the 3-year-old boy. Virginia Dept. of Mines, Minerals and Energy hide caption toggle caption Virginia Dept. of Mines, Minerals and Energy An aerial photo of the accident scene. An approximately 1,000-pound rock tumbled nearly 650 feet down a steep, wooded hillside and smashed into the wall of Jeremy Davidson's bedroom, killing the 3-year-old boy. Virginia Dept. of Mines, Minerals and Energy One night last summer, in the coalfields of Virginia, 3-year-old Jeremy Davidson was crushed to death in his bed by a rock that weighed 1,000 pounds. It had been dislodged by a bulldozer at a strip-mining site high above his home. Jeremy Davidson's parents filed a lawsuit for wrongful death. The state mining agency accused the coal company of gross negligence. And last week Virginia lawmakers approved new coal mining regulations. As NPR's Noah Adams reports, the boy's death continues to shock and sadden the community of Wise County, Va. Dennis and Cindy Davidson say they moved to Inman Hollow, outside the small town of Appalachia, Va., five years ago because they wanted a quiet place in the country to raise Jeremy and his older brother, Zachery. But they say noise from coal trucks on nearby roads and jarring blasts from mining operations soon ended their peaceful nights. The couple said they had nev...

Colossal earth-moving machines became symbols in the 1960s-1970s environmental battles over surface coal mining, also known as “strip mining.” These machines – some capable of scooping two-to-three Greyhound bus-size equivalents of earth with each bite – laid waste to tens of thousands of acres as they uncovered near-surface coal to feed electric power plants. In 1972-73, a trio of these machines, then chewing through southeastern Ohio, became involved in a controversial proposal: to cross, and temporarily shut down, a major interstate highway to get to the coal on the other side. The event became a symbolic and actual “line-in-the-sand” confrontation between those opposed to strip mining and those who saw it as vital for energy, jobs, and local economies. The February 1973 issue of Smithsonian magazine ran a dramatic shot of “The GEM of Egypt” in operation in the Egypt Valley of Ohio, just north of I-70, as the magazine featured a story on “the need for energy vs. strip mining.” Note size of the shovel’s bucket relative to the vehicles on the road below. Photo, Arthur Sirdofsky. There were three of the giant machines at issue: The Tiger, The Mountaineer, and The GEM of Egypt. All three were then in the service of the Hanna Coal Company, which by 1970, had been strip mining in Ohio for decades and was then a division of the much larger Pittsburgh Consolidation Coal Company, later known as “Consol,” itself then owned by Continental Oil. More on Hanna/Consol and the big mach...

For those who are unfamiliar, strip mining is a form of surface mining that focuses on the collection of tar sand and coal, which both rest somewhat close to Earth’s surface. Those who support strip mining point to the increased ease of access and all of its attendant benefits. Detractors point to the controversies surrounding this method. The following is a closer examination of the pros and cons. The Pros of Strip Mining 1. High Recovery Rate Other forms of mining do not guarantee the same rate of return as strip mining does. Materials are recovered at a rate of up to 90 percent during strip mining, which is a much higher recovery rate than most forms of mining can promise. Tunnel mining, for instance, only offers users a potential recovery rate of 50 percent. 2. Strip Mining Is Faster Most other mining techniques require the digging of tunnels, which adds additional time to the process. Strip mining does not rely on the digging of tunnels and since the route to the surface is much shorter, this also cuts down on the amount of time spent. Retrieving minerals and transporting them is much simpler when using strip mining methods. 3. Much Less Expensive Since strip mining has an easier process and a higher recovery rate, this leads to much lower costs across the board. Production costs can be slashed across the board and less safety precautions need to be taken, which also leads to a decrease in costs. It is one of the most, if not the most, inexpensive mining format curren...

Surface mining makes up a huge percent of mining projects. Surface mining refers to the removal of the terrain surface to access minerals underneath. In particular, surface mining is used to retrieve sand, gravel, stones, coal, iron and other metals. There are five recognized types of surface mining, each with specific variations depending on the minerals being extracted. These include strip mining, open-pit mining, mountaintop removal, dredging and highwall mining. Why Choose Surface Mining? Surface mining is often the preference for mining companies. This is because removing the terrain surface, or overburden, to access the mineral beneath is often more cost-effective than gouging tunnels and subterranean shafts to access minerals underground. This method is often considered safer, as well, and doesn’t require extensive electricity rigging and water piping. Strip Mining Strip mining gets its name from the fact that the process involves stripping the surface away from the mineral that’s being excavated (usually coal). Soil, rock, and vegetation over the mineral seam is removed with huge machines, including bucket-wheel excavators. This type of mining makes sense when the mineral is near the surface. If the ore is too far under the surface, the process of strip mining becomes impractical and needlessly damaging to the terrain. Two types of strip mining exist, depending on the amount of ore under the surface, and the surrounding terrain. They are: • Area Stripping extracts ...

What Does Strip Mining Mean? Strip mining is a mineral-extraction process in which a layer or seam of undesired material (called “overburden”) is removed from the surface of an area to allow efficient access to a desired material existing underneath the layer being stripped. As the process suggests, it is a form of surface mining, and it is primarily used to extract material that lays relatively close to the surface. There are two types of strip-mining approaches. The first and most common approach is referred to as area mining; it is used on fairly flat terrain and involves the removal of long strips (potentially hundreds of meters) at once. In this approach, the overburden removed from each new strip is deposited into the excavated area left by the previous strip. The second approach, called contour mining, is used on hilly terrain and involves stripping land in a manner that mirrors its topography. Safeopedia Explains Strip Mining Strip-mining processes are subject to a variety of occupational and environmental health and safety regulations in any advanced country in which the activity is practiced. Because mining is recognized as a particularly hazardous occupation with a number of practice-specific safety hazards, these regulations may be enforced by an industry-specific oversight body. For instance, in the United States, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), not OSHA, is responsible for enforcing regulations related to mine safety. Typical strip-mining ha...