Environmental Effects related to the mining of coal

 

An additional energy consumption of 40% in the capture stage of CCS will lead to a relative increase in total coal consumption of 40%.

Mining of coal, which is the first step of the process, involves a broad spectrum of environmental effects that include

- Mechanical destruction of soil and water, housing areas, habitats for animals and plants etc.,

- Destruction of miners' health (black lung disease, asthma, fatal accidents (floods, crashes, etc.), heart and other lung disorders)

- Noise (blasting, construction and operation of equipment)

- Coal dust,

- Runoff and wastewater,

- Coal slurry,

- Leaching of heavy metals,

- Air emissions from diesel and gasoline powered equipment, including:

- Carbon monoxide (CO)

- Nitrogen compounds (NOx)

- Sulphur compounds (SOx)

- VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) including methane (CH4)

- Particles.