1. Coal: An overview of coal and its uses
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Coal: An overview of coal and its uses
This PowerPoint provides an overview of coal in Queensland. The notes section includes Teaching tips and ideas for additional resources.

2. What is Coal? Sedimentary Resource Made of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen
Teaching Tip:
Discuss:
The location of coal deposits; where they could be.
Teacher notes:
Composed of 50-97% Carbon, 3-13% Hydrogen and Oxygen with lesser amounts of nitrogen, sulphur and other elements.
Coal also contains some water and an inorganic component that forms ash when coal is burnt.
It is a common mineral resource and found throughout the world in varying amounts; some places are more accessible than others
Activity:
Brainstorm with students on what they know already about coal and record on chart
Source: Queensland Resources Council

3. How was coal formed? Image Description:
Diagram shows the formation of coal from plant material to varying classifications of coal depending on the length of ‘coalification’.
Teaching Tip:
Ask:
Looking at the diagram, explain how coal was formed.
Discuss: Why in Scotland peat bogs can still be found. A: Scotland is a newer country and over the time the peat could form coal
Teacher notes:
Coal is formed from plants that died millions of years ago.
This material eventually formed peat, and following additional heat and pressure formed lignite or brown coal in the early stages followed by black coal over many more millions of years.
Coal can range form million years old.
Coal in Queensland is around 165 million years old.
Activity:
View vodcast of Formation of Coal on Look for Downloads and Interactives/Coal and Low Emission Technologies/How is Coal Formed.
Image courtesy of Australian Coal Association

4. Coal in Australia Image Description:
Map shows location of coal deposits in Australia
Teaching Tip:
Ask: Name the major states for coal in Australia
Discuss: The geology of Australia in relation to coal deposits.
Teacher notes: Around 80% of mines in Australia are opencut.
The following sites are an introduction into Geographical Information Systems (GIS) activities.
Activity:
Students can make their own maps and state specific maps of coal locations. Through Australia Mines Atlas direct link copy and paste
Additional activities lead on to identifying locations through Google Earth. Use the Oresome Resources Google Map /maps for location of coal mines and deposits in Queensland.
Students could investigate a location as a mini case study. Quite a number are linked to websites with more details. Could be used as an assessment activity.

5. Coal deposits in Queensland
Teaching Tip:
Ask students to identify coal export ports.
Where could the coal be destined. (see fact sheets on coal and coal mining
Map courtesy of Queensland Department Mines and Energy

6. Open-cut Coal Mining Used when coal is close to the surface
Draglines Remove Overburden to Uncover Coal Seams
Description of image:
A dragline is an enormous piece of machinery used to remove the waste rock that sits above the coal seam
the bucket can hold four, 4 wheel drives and the boom is as long as a football field
Teaching Tip:
Ask: How would such as large piece of equipment be transported to the mine site? A: In pieces and is assembled on site
Discuss: What would happen to this pit after mining? A: In Queensland the pits are backfilled, covered with topsoil and revegetated.
Teacher notes:
An open cut mine is used when the coal is close to the surface.
The top soil is removed and stored for later reuse, a large area is dug out in levels to uncover the seam.
The waste rock is deposited into spoil piles for later reuse as backfill into the pit, the coal is removed by blasting, then using a truck and shovel method to transport coal to the wash plant where dust is removed before transporting it via rail to the power station or port.
Activity:
View short vodcast on opencut mining from See downloads and interactives/Coal and Low Emission Technologies/Opencut Mining.
View Marion 8200 Dragline maths movie on details mathematical components of a dragline. Follow downloads and interactives/Maths Movies/Marion 8200 Dragline
Source: Queensland Resources Council

7. Underground Mining Longwall Miners Shear Coal from Seam
Image Description:
Long wall miners are around 150m long with a shearer attached that spins and shears the coal off the seam.
Part of the long wall miner is the roof that supports the roof of the mine.
The shearer has tungsten tip blades and is operated using a hand held remote control device. The coal drops to a conveyor belt and is taken from the mine.
Teaching Tip:
Ask:
What do you think could be the future of underground mining?
A: Remote controlled robots are being designed to mine the coal, with controllers located in control rooms operating from any point in the world i.e. they could be thousands of kilometers away from the mine.
Discuss:
The changes in technology mean changes in the different types of skill sets required for future miners.
What does this mean? (Miners will require background in computing and electronic operations)
Teacher notes:
20% of Queensland Coal is mined using underground methods. It is used when the seam is deep underground.
Considerable investigation goes into the study of the geology underground to determine where the mine should be located and the safest methods and path to be used to extract the coal.
Roof bolts are used to assist in supporting the roof of the mine when the tunnels are under construction. These are around 1.5m long and are drilled at 1m intervals into the roof.
Activity:
View short vodcast on opencut mining from
See downloads and interactives/Coal and Low Emission Technologies/Underground Mining
Source: Queensland Resources Council

8. Coal Processing Trucks Transport Coal to Crushing Plants
Coal is Washed to Remove Dust and Impurities
Description of image:
After the coal is blasted truck and shovel operations transport the coal to the crushing plant
Teaching Tip:
Teacher notes:
At the crushing plant the coal is crushed into various sizes depending on its use.
If it is for power stations it can be crushed down to less than 50mm.
The crushed coal is washed to remove rock and minerals so to improve overall quality before it is placed on sale.
Using the process of froth flotation, coal is placed into a liquid that is denser than the coal so that the coal floats but rocks and minerals fall to the bottom. From there it is then loaded onto trains for transport to the power station or port.
Activity:
View maths movies on details mathematical components of a dump haul truck and excavator.
Follow Downloads and Interactives/Maths Movies/797B Dump Haul Truck and Electric Rope Shovel
Source: Queensland Resources Council

9. Mining and the Environment
Image Description:
Partially, rehabilitated coal mining site
Teaching Tip:
Background:
The area in the foreground has been rehabilitated after mining.
The pit is filled in with spoil (see piles in background), topsoil is spread over the surface and it is revegetated with grasses and trees.
Ask: What changes have occurred to the land and environment as a result of mining? How are these managed?
Discuss: To mine or not to mine.
Teacher notes:
Companies pay a bond to the government to cover the costs of rehabilitation before mining.
This is held in trust so that funds are available if the company cannot meet its environmental requirements.
The Environmental Protection Authority monitors the progress on rehabilitation.
Activity:
See vodcast on rehabilitation from
Downloads and Interactives/Coal and Low Emission Technologies/Coal Mining Rehabilitation
Source: Queensland Resources Council

10. Uses of Coal Teaching Tip: Discuss: Teacher notes:
Major use is the generation of electricity
the coal is pulverised and burnt to heat steam generating boilers
Some types of black coal are used in coke making. When heated in the absence of air they produce gases and coke. The resulting coke is hard and is mainly used in blast furnaces in the making of steel.
Tars and feedstock for some plastics can be produced using the by products of coke while coal is also used in the making of cement.
Activity:
View short vodcast on coal and its uses from
See Downloads and Interactives/Coal and Low Emission Technologies/Coal and its uses.
Source: Queensland Resources Council