Activity 3. Coal extraction
- Learn about coal, one of the most used fossil fuels.
Coal – a solid fuel called “black gold” in the past because it was a major energy resource for many years. They were formed from the dead remains of trees and other plants. Coal is burned in thermal power plants to produce much of the electricity. Burning coal releases large amounts of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, which causes acid rain. Coal mining also harms water – it can lead to groundwater and surface water contamination with acids and heavy metals. Opencast mines destroy the landscape by leaving large holes in the ground and destroying natural habitats.
Despite these harmful effects, coal continues to be widely used in countries around the world because it is a relatively cheap source of energy, there are large deposits of it and many power stations are designed to run on coal.
- Find on the internet a map showing coal production in the world. https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/coal-production-by-country?tab=map&time=latest
Set the timeline to the latest information as of 2023. Select a representation of data from around the world.
3. Study the data from the map and graph available at https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/coal-production-by-country and answer the following questions:
- What are the three countries that produce the most coal in 2023?
- In which year did China become the largest coal producer? Which country was the leader until then?
- Which African country produces the most coal?
- In which state did coal production increase the most this millennium?
- How do you estimate the amount of coal mined annually in the US since 2010?
- Discuss the environmental impact of coal mining and burning. Suggest better ways to fulfil the energy needs of the national economy.
