Mountaintop removal mining

People get coal from the tops of mountains. They use big blasts to break the rock. This lets them reach the coal underneath. This way is safer than digging deep holes.

Some of the extra rock goes into valleys. These are called valley fills.

This can cover up small streams.

When the work is done, people fix the land. They add dirt and plant grass. They may even plant new trees. This helps the land grow back.

It is a big job to help nature.

Some people get coal from the tops of mountains. This way of mining is called mountaintop removal. It is a type of surface mining. This means miners work on top of the land.

Miners use explosives to blast away the top of the mountain. They remove the overburden. This is the layer of rock and dirt above the coal. The blasts can remove 400 vertical feet of mountain.

This lets them reach the coal seams underneath. This method is often safer than underground mining.

After the blast, miners move the extra rock and soil. They often put this material into nearby valleys. These areas are called valley fills. This can bury small streams in the valley.

When the work is done, companies must fix the land. This is called reclamation. They add topsoil and plant grass or trees. Some groups work to help hardwood trees grow back. This helps the land become a forest or a home for animals again.

Mountaintop removal mining is a way to get coal from the earth. This type of surface mining happens at the very top of a mountain or a ridge. It is different from traditional underground mining. In underground mining, workers dig narrow shafts deep into the ground. In mountaintop removal, the coal is reached from above. Many people think this way is safer for workers. This is because they do not have to work in deep, dark tunnels.

There is a specific way this work happens. First, workers remove the trees from the land. Then, they use explosives to blast away the overburden. The overburden is the layer of rock and soil sitting on top of the coal.

These blasts can remove up to 400 vertical feet of the mountain. This exposes the coal seams underneath. Once the coal is visible, machines like excavators move it to a plant. The extra rock and dirt must go somewhere. Some is put back on the ridge to fix the shape of the mountain. Other material is dumped into nearby valleys.

These areas are called valley fills or holler fills.

This method has been used since the 1960s. It became much more common after the oil crises of 1973 and 1979. During those times, the United States needed more coal. Mountaintop removal was a cheaper way to get it than using hundreds of workers underground. In the 1990s, it grew even more. This was because of new laws called the Clean Air Act. These laws made it better to use low-sulfur coal. This type of coal burns more cleanly than high-sulfur coal.

This mining happens mostly in the Appalachian Mountains. This area includes states like West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, and Virginia.

West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky are the top two places for this. In 2006, mountaintop removal provided 30 percent of the coal in West Virginia. By 2023, only West Virginia was noted as producing coal this way in the U.S. Studies show that 12 square meters of land produces one metric ton of coal. Between 1985 and 2015, about 2,900 square kilometers of new land was mined. Before 1985, the total amount of mined land was 5,900 square kilometers. Over 500 mountains in the U.S. have been changed by this process.

After the mining is done, the land must be fixed. This is called reclamation. A law from 1977 called the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act helps regulate this. Companies are supposed to put topsoil back on the land. They then spread grass seed and fertilizer. Some land is turned into pastures or used for new buildings. Other groups, like the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative, try to grow hardwood trees. They want to turn the land back into a forest for wildlife. They work hard to make sure the new soil is deep enough for roots to grow.

Mountaintop removal mining, often called MTR or mountaintop mining, is a specific type of surface mining. This process targets the summit or the summit ridge of a mountain to reach coal. Instead of digging deep tunnels, miners remove the land sitting above the coal to get to it. This layer of rock and soil is known as the overburden. MTR is considered a safer method than traditional underground mining. This is because the coal seams are accessed from above rather than through deep, dark shafts.

The mechanism of MTR involves several precise steps. First, the land is deforested, and the resulting lumber is sold or burned. Next, miners use explosives to blast away the overburden. These blasts can remove up to 400 vertical feet of the mountain to expose the coal seams. Once the seams are visible, machines like front-end loaders or excavators remove the coal. This coal is then transported to a processing plant. Because coal exists in multiple geologically stratified seams, miners can repeat this blasting process many times. This can increase the mine depth by hundreds of extra feet.

There are two main ways to handle the excess rock and soil, known as spoils. One method is to place the material back on the ridge. This attempts to reflect the approximate original contour of the mountain. The second method involves moving the excess material into neighboring valleys. When this happens, the resulting areas are called "valley fills" or "holler fills."

These valley fills can change the local environment. They can bury streams that were originally in the valley. They can also cause acid mine drainage, which increases concentrations of sulfate, iron, aluminum, and manganese in surrounding waters.

This mining method has a distinct history in the United States. MTR has been practiced since the 1960s. It became much more common following the oil crises of 1973 and 1979. These crises created a need for more economical coal mining. MTR was cheaper than traditional underground mining, which required hundreds of workers. In the 1990s, the practice expanded further due to the U.S. Clean Air Act. These law amendments tightened emission limits on high-sulfur coal. This made low-sulfur coal, which is a cleaner-burning form, much more desirable.

The scale of MTR is quite large, particularly in the Appalachian Mountains. This region includes states from Ohio to Virginia. West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky are the two largest coal-producing states in Appalachia. In 2006, MTR provided 30 percent of the coal mined in West Virginia. Data from Google Earth Engine and Landsat shows that 2,900 square kilometers of land were newly mined between 1985 and 2015. When adding land mined prior to 1985, the cumulative total was 5,900 square kilometers. More than 500 mountains in the U.S. have been destroyed by this process.

After mining is complete, the land must undergo reclamation. The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) regulates these activities. The law lists the restoration of land and water resources as a priority. Companies are supposed to set aside topsoil to use during this stage. However, companies are often granted waivers if adequate topsoil is not naturally present. They may instead use a "topsoil substitute." Once the ground is prepared, grass seed is spread with fertilizer and mulch. Some land is reclaimed for pastures or economic development. Other groups, like the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative, work to grow hardwood trees.

Understanding the health of these ecosystems often involves looking at specific biological signs. For example, mayflies are abundant in the Appalachian Mountain region. These insects are highly sensitive to water quality. Their immature forms require unpolluted water to survive. Because valley fills and acid mine drainage alter water chemistry, mayflies serve as an indicator species. Scientists can use these populations to monitor how well restoration efforts are working. This helps researchers determine the most effective ways to protect local wildlife and restore the natural habitat.