Infographics » Gwendolyn Belle

Mountaintop Removal Mining What is mountaintop removal mining? Dragline excavator machines, nearly a city block in size and with a weight of up to eight million pounds, dig into the Sometimes 500 to 800 feet or Mountaintop removal is a form of strip mining used in Appalachia since the 1970s. Though this coal-mining method allows for almost complete recovery of coal seams and requires less workers than conventional methods, it involves extreme topographic changes to the summit of a mountain. The process is shown below. more of elevation must be removed in order to reach deep-lying coal mountain rock and seams. expose the coal. Coal seam Valley fill CLEARING: BLASTING: DIGGING & DUMPING: RECLAMATION: No vegetation survives the process of mountaintop removal mining, so all topsoil is removed and the land is cleared and deforested. Millions of pounds of strong explosives blast away the rock and subsoil to expose the coal seams beneath. Draglines harvest the coal and then push the the rock and dirt waste into nearby streams and valleys, creating valley fills. After the coal is washed and treated, the topsoil is supposed to be replaced to the site so it can be seeded for vegetation. Where surface mining is permitted Effects of mountaintop removal mining Economic impact seen in West Virginia Mountaintop removal mining occurs primarily in the biologically diverse Appalachian states of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Surface mining permits are prevalent in these areas. • More than 7 percent of Appalachian forests have been "The impact of mountaintop removal on nearby communi- ties is devastating. Dragline machines enable strip mining to be done with fewer workers, greatly contributing to the loss of mining jobs, as seen in West Virginia. Employment (in thousands) Coal Production cut down. (in millions) MILES Dynamite blasts needed to splinter rock strata are so strong they crack the WEST VIRGINIA 200T -80 OHIO More than 1,200 miles of Coal Production streams – a distance greater than the length of the entire Ohio River – have been buried by valley fills or polluted between Charleston 70 foundations and walls of -60 Lexington-Fayette houses. Mining dries up an average of 100 wells a year and contaminates Area of Surface 150Hr VIRGINIA Mining Permits 1985 and 2001. -50 KENTUCKY Roanoke others" 40 • More than 800 square miles of mountains have -U.S. Environmental 100+ Employment Protection Agency -30 already been destroyed. Johnson City • 20 NORTH CAROLINA Sources: Appalachian Voices, iLoveMounains.org, Stop Mountaintop Removal West Virginia Coalition, Mountain Justice, Wikipedia, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Knoxville TENNESSEE • Asheville 50 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 GWEN SAUNDERS Mountaintop Removal Mining What is mountaintop removal mining? Dragline excavator machines, nearly a city block in size and with a weight of up to eight million pounds, dig into the Sometimes 500 to 800 feet or Mountaintop removal is a form of strip mining used in Appalachia since the 1970s. Though this coal-mining method allows for almost complete recovery of coal seams and requires less workers than conventional methods, it involves extreme topographic changes to the summit of a mountain. The process is shown below. more of elevation must be removed in order to reach deep-lying coal mountain rock and seams. expose the coal. Coal seam Valley fill CLEARING: BLASTING: DIGGING & DUMPING: RECLAMATION: No vegetation survives the process of mountaintop removal mining, so all topsoil is removed and the land is cleared and deforested. Millions of pounds of strong explosives blast away the rock and subsoil to expose the coal seams beneath. Draglines harvest the coal and then push the the rock and dirt waste into nearby streams and valleys, creating valley fills. After the coal is washed and treated, the topsoil is supposed to be replaced to the site so it can be seeded for vegetation. Where surface mining is permitted Effects of mountaintop removal mining Economic impact seen in West Virginia Mountaintop removal mining occurs primarily in the biologically diverse Appalachian states of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Surface mining permits are prevalent in these areas. • More than 7 percent of Appalachian forests have been "The impact of mountaintop removal on nearby communi- ties is devastating. Dragline machines enable strip mining to be done with fewer workers, greatly contributing to the loss of mining jobs, as seen in West Virginia. Employment (in thousands) Coal Production cut down. (in millions) MILES Dynamite blasts needed to splinter rock strata are so strong they crack the WEST VIRGINIA 200T -80 OHIO More than 1,200 miles of Coal Production streams – a distance greater than the length of the entire Ohio River – have been buried by valley fills or polluted between Charleston 70 foundations and walls of -60 Lexington-Fayette houses. Mining dries up an average of 100 wells a year and contaminates Area of Surface 150Hr VIRGINIA Mining Permits 1985 and 2001. -50 KENTUCKY Roanoke others" 40 • More than 800 square miles of mountains have -U.S. Environmental 100+ Employment Protection Agency -30 already been destroyed. Johnson City • 20 NORTH CAROLINA Sources: Appalachian Voices, iLoveMounains.org, Stop Mountaintop Removal West Virginia Coalition, Mountain Justice, Wikipedia, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Knoxville TENNESSEE • Asheville 50 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 GWEN SAUNDERS Mountaintop Removal Mining What is mountaintop removal mining? Dragline excavator machines, nearly a city block in size and with a weight of up to eight million pounds, dig into the Sometimes 500 to 800 feet or Mountaintop removal is a form of strip mining used in Appalachia since the 1970s. Though this coal-mining method allows for almost complete recovery of coal seams and requires less workers than conventional methods, it involves extreme topographic changes to the summit of a mountain. The process is shown below. more of elevation must be removed in order to reach deep-lying coal mountain rock and seams. expose the coal. Coal seam Valley fill CLEARING: BLASTING: DIGGING & DUMPING: RECLAMATION: No vegetation survives the process of mountaintop removal mining, so all topsoil is removed and the land is cleared and deforested. Millions of pounds of strong explosives blast away the rock and subsoil to expose the coal seams beneath. Draglines harvest the coal and then push the the rock and dirt waste into nearby streams and valleys, creating valley fills. After the coal is washed and treated, the topsoil is supposed to be replaced to the site so it can be seeded for vegetation. Where surface mining is permitted Effects of mountaintop removal mining Economic impact seen in West Virginia Mountaintop removal mining occurs primarily in the biologically diverse Appalachian states of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Surface mining permits are prevalent in these areas. • More than 7 percent of Appalachian forests have been "The impact of mountaintop removal on nearby communi- ties is devastating. Dragline machines enable strip mining to be done with fewer workers, greatly contributing to the loss of mining jobs, as seen in West Virginia. Employment (in thousands) Coal Production cut down. (in millions) MILES Dynamite blasts needed to splinter rock strata are so strong they crack the WEST VIRGINIA 200T -80 OHIO More than 1,200 miles of Coal Production streams – a distance greater than the length of the entire Ohio River – have been buried by valley fills or polluted between Charleston 70 foundations and walls of -60 Lexington-Fayette houses. Mining dries up an average of 100 wells a year and contaminates Area of Surface 150Hr VIRGINIA Mining Permits 1985 and 2001. -50 KENTUCKY Roanoke others" 40 • More than 800 square miles of mountains have -U.S. Environmental 100+ Employment Protection Agency -30 already been destroyed. Johnson City • 20 NORTH CAROLINA Sources: Appalachian Voices, iLoveMounains.org, Stop Mountaintop Removal West Virginia Coalition, Mountain Justice, Wikipedia, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Knoxville TENNESSEE • Asheville 50 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 GWEN SAUNDERS Mountaintop Removal Mining What is mountaintop removal mining? Dragline excavator machines, nearly a city block in size and with a weight of up to eight million pounds, dig into the Sometimes 500 to 800 feet or Mountaintop removal is a form of strip mining used in Appalachia since the 1970s. Though this coal-mining method allows for almost complete recovery of coal seams and requires less workers than conventional methods, it involves extreme topographic changes to the summit of a mountain. The process is shown below. more of elevation must be removed in order to reach deep-lying coal mountain rock and seams. expose the coal. Coal seam Valley fill CLEARING: BLASTING: DIGGING & DUMPING: RECLAMATION: No vegetation survives the process of mountaintop removal mining, so all topsoil is removed and the land is cleared and deforested. Millions of pounds of strong explosives blast away the rock and subsoil to expose the coal seams beneath. Draglines harvest the coal and then push the the rock and dirt waste into nearby streams and valleys, creating valley fills. After the coal is washed and treated, the topsoil is supposed to be replaced to the site so it can be seeded for vegetation. Where surface mining is permitted Effects of mountaintop removal mining Economic impact seen in West Virginia Mountaintop removal mining occurs primarily in the biologically diverse Appalachian states of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Surface mining permits are prevalent in these areas. • More than 7 percent of Appalachian forests have been "The impact of mountaintop removal on nearby communi- ties is devastating. Dragline machines enable strip mining to be done with fewer workers, greatly contributing to the loss of mining jobs, as seen in West Virginia. Employment (in thousands) Coal Production cut down. (in millions) MILES Dynamite blasts needed to splinter rock strata are so strong they crack the WEST VIRGINIA 200T -80 OHIO More than 1,200 miles of Coal Production streams – a distance greater than the length of the entire Ohio River – have been buried by valley fills or polluted between Charleston 70 foundations and walls of -60 Lexington-Fayette houses. Mining dries up an average of 100 wells a year and contaminates Area of Surface 150Hr VIRGINIA Mining Permits 1985 and 2001. -50 KENTUCKY Roanoke others" 40 • More than 800 square miles of mountains have -U.S. Environmental 100+ Employment Protection Agency -30 already been destroyed. Johnson City • 20 NORTH CAROLINA Sources: Appalachian Voices, iLoveMounains.org, Stop Mountaintop Removal West Virginia Coalition, Mountain Justice, Wikipedia, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Knoxville TENNESSEE • Asheville 50 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 GWEN SAUNDERS Mountaintop Removal Mining What is mountaintop removal mining? Dragline excavator machines, nearly a city block in size and with a weight of up to eight million pounds, dig into the Sometimes 500 to 800 feet or Mountaintop removal is a form of strip mining used in Appalachia since the 1970s. Though this coal-mining method allows for almost complete recovery of coal seams and requires less workers than conventional methods, it involves extreme topographic changes to the summit of a mountain. The process is shown below. more of elevation must be removed in order to reach deep-lying coal mountain rock and seams. expose the coal. Coal seam Valley fill CLEARING: BLASTING: DIGGING & DUMPING: RECLAMATION: No vegetation survives the process of mountaintop removal mining, so all topsoil is removed and the land is cleared and deforested. Millions of pounds of strong explosives blast away the rock and subsoil to expose the coal seams beneath. Draglines harvest the coal and then push the the rock and dirt waste into nearby streams and valleys, creating valley fills. After the coal is washed and treated, the topsoil is supposed to be replaced to the site so it can be seeded for vegetation. Where surface mining is permitted Effects of mountaintop removal mining Economic impact seen in West Virginia Mountaintop removal mining occurs primarily in the biologically diverse Appalachian states of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Surface mining permits are prevalent in these areas. • More than 7 percent of Appalachian forests have been "The impact of mountaintop removal on nearby communi- ties is devastating. Dragline machines enable strip mining to be done with fewer workers, greatly contributing to the loss of mining jobs, as seen in West Virginia. Employment (in thousands) Coal Production cut down. (in millions) MILES Dynamite blasts needed to splinter rock strata are so strong they crack the WEST VIRGINIA 200T -80 OHIO More than 1,200 miles of Coal Production streams – a distance greater than the length of the entire Ohio River – have been buried by valley fills or polluted between Charleston 70 foundations and walls of -60 Lexington-Fayette houses. Mining dries up an average of 100 wells a year and contaminates Area of Surface 150Hr VIRGINIA Mining Permits 1985 and 2001. -50 KENTUCKY Roanoke others" 40 • More than 800 square miles of mountains have -U.S. Environmental 100+ Employment Protection Agency -30 already been destroyed. Johnson City • 20 NORTH CAROLINA Sources: Appalachian Voices, iLoveMounains.org, Stop Mountaintop Removal West Virginia Coalition, Mountain Justice, Wikipedia, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Knoxville TENNESSEE • Asheville 50 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 GWEN SAUNDERS Mountaintop Removal Mining What is mountaintop removal mining? Dragline excavator machines, nearly a city block in size and with a weight of up to eight million pounds, dig into the Sometimes 500 to 800 feet or Mountaintop removal is a form of strip mining used in Appalachia since the 1970s. Though this coal-mining method allows for almost complete recovery of coal seams and requires less workers than conventional methods, it involves extreme topographic changes to the summit of a mountain. The process is shown below. more of elevation must be removed in order to reach deep-lying coal mountain rock and seams. expose the coal. Coal seam Valley fill CLEARING: BLASTING: DIGGING & DUMPING: RECLAMATION: No vegetation survives the process of mountaintop removal mining, so all topsoil is removed and the land is cleared and deforested. Millions of pounds of strong explosives blast away the rock and subsoil to expose the coal seams beneath. Draglines harvest the coal and then push the the rock and dirt waste into nearby streams and valleys, creating valley fills. After the coal is washed and treated, the topsoil is supposed to be replaced to the site so it can be seeded for vegetation. Where surface mining is permitted Effects of mountaintop removal mining Economic impact seen in West Virginia Mountaintop removal mining occurs primarily in the biologically diverse Appalachian states of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. Surface mining permits are prevalent in these areas. • More than 7 percent of Appalachian forests have been "The impact of mountaintop removal on nearby communi- ties is devastating. Dragline machines enable strip mining to be done with fewer workers, greatly contributing to the loss of mining jobs, as seen in West Virginia. Employment (in thousands) Coal Production cut down. (in millions) MILES Dynamite blasts needed to splinter rock strata are so strong they crack the WEST VIRGINIA 200T -80 OHIO More than 1,200 miles of Coal Production streams – a distance greater than the length of the entire Ohio River – have been buried by valley fills or polluted between Charleston 70 foundations and walls of -60 Lexington-Fayette houses. Mining dries up an average of 100 wells a year and contaminates Area of Surface 150Hr VIRGINIA Mining Permits 1985 and 2001. -50 KENTUCKY Roanoke others" 40 • More than 800 square miles of mountains have -U.S. Environmental 100+ Employment Protection Agency -30 already been destroyed. Johnson City • 20 NORTH CAROLINA Sources: Appalachian Voices, iLoveMounains.org, Stop Mountaintop Removal West Virginia Coalition, Mountain Justice, Wikipedia, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Knoxville TENNESSEE • Asheville 50 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 GWEN SAUNDERS