Key Question: How does mining activity modify the landscape and how can it be restored? Key Words: Spoil Heap Pillar and Stall Subsidence Open Cast Landscaping
Think of the questions you would want to ask What has happened here? Think of the questions you would want to ask
Types of Mining (i) Deep (underground) (ii) Surface / Opencast (Strip Mining)
(i) Deep Mining
a. Pillar and Stall Old fashioned method
OVERBURDEN Coal Seam Collapse! Pillars often made of wood or pillars of rock
a. Pillar and Stall Broken pillars can lead to subsidence and damage to buildings
b. Longwall Retreat Direction of Mining Coal Seam Collapsed Roof (Gob)
b. Longwall Retreat Two access tunnels are sunk 90o to coal face Coal seam worked backwards towards entrance of mine. Overburden is allowed to collapse
Shearer cuts coal face
2. Surface Mining (Opencast)
What do you think the advantages are of this type of mining?
The overburden is stripped off using a dragline excavator This type is large scale Click Here for Video of a Dragline Excavator
The overburden is stripped off using a dragline excavator This type is large scale
2. Mining Problems
a. Mine Collapse
b. Subsidence
c. Tip Collapse e.g. Aberfan, Near Merthyr Tydfil, 1966 Tip No 7 Collapsed, killing 144 people killing all the children in Pantglas Junior School (117)
d. Acid Mine Waste
Products of weathering of Iron Pyrite produce acid waters in old mines. Need permanent pumping out once closed.
Restoring the landscape after mining
A Spoil tip at Dalton Park, Co Durham 1960
A Spoil tip at Dalton Park, Co Durham 1980’s Landscaping and contouring in progress
Dalton Park Today!!! Now a nature reserve and.. Outlet Shopping Centre
Landscaping transformed the area!
Mining
1
2 &
3
4
5
id 6
7
8
9
10. BONUS QUESTION K
Get Ready for the Answers…
1 Long wall Retreat
2 Pillar and Stall &
Open Cast 3
Over Burden 4
5 Subsidence
id Acid Mine Waste 6
7 Drag Line
8 Aberfan
9 Shearer
10. BONUS QUESTION K Coal Seam