Miners can extract coal at Earth's surface or underground.
Which type of coal mining is likely to be more dangerous to workers? Explain
(2 points)
Which type of coal mining is likely to cause more environmental damage to land and water? Explain.
Underground coal mining is likely to be more dangerous to workers compared to surface mining. This is because underground mining involves working in confined spaces with poor ventilation, higher risks of cave-ins, explosions, and exposure to harmful gases such as methane. In contrast, surface mining is generally considered to be safer as it involves open pit mining and does not require miners to work in enclosed spaces underground.
Surface coal mining is likely to cause more environmental damage to land and water compared to underground mining. This is because surface mining involves the removal of topsoil, vegetation, and rock layers to access the coal deposits, leading to deforestation, habitat destruction, and soil erosion. Additionally, surface mining can contaminate water sources with pollutants such as heavy metals and sediment runoff. On the other hand, underground mining typically has less impact on the surface environment as the coal is extracted from below the surface without disturbing large areas of land.