Coal mining
What is coal mining?
Coal mining means digging coal out of the ground. Coal is a black rock that can burn and is used to make electricity or heat things.
Two main ways to mine coal:
Surface Mining– Digging coal from the top layer of the Earth.– Big machines scrape away the ground to get the coal.
Underground Mining– Miners go deep inside the Earth through tunnels.– They dig out the coal from underground layers.
Coal is useful, but burning it makes smoke and pollution, so people are also using cleaner energy like wind and solar power more now.
Making Electricity
Most coal is burned in power plants to make electricity.
The heat from coal makes steam, which spins big turbines.
Heating
In some places, coal is used to heat homes or buildings (less common now).
Making Steel
Coal helps turn iron into steel, which is used to build bridges, cars, and buildings.
Cement Production
Coal is burned to help make cement, which is used in construction.
Chemical Products
Coal is used to make things like fertilizers, plastics, and even medicines