Mining has long been a prominent contributor to air pollution and climate change. With a clean energy future on the horizon, Jane Marsh outlines how the coal industry can find opportunities to become sustainable.
The world has begun a dramatic transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, and with it, efforts to make dirty operations cleaner. Mining, in particular, has a poor reputation for causing ecological degradation and is a significant contributor to climate change. As such, the coal industry must look toward decarbonisation and the use of cutting-edge technologies to reduce emissions.
The emissions impact of coal mining
Underground coal mining releases 36.5 million actual ft3 of methane – approximately 17 579 t of CO2e annually. Traditional extraction methods rely on fossil fuels, worsening greenhouse gas emissions.
Miners often employ heavy equipment – excavators, drilling rigs, diesel-powered trucks, and more – for transportation and power-intensive processes like crushing, grinding, blasting, and smelting. In the Appalachian Mountains, their use of explosives to remove mountaintops also generates ample emissions and air pollution.
Opportunities and challenges of decarbonising coal operations
Decarbonising mining will further progress renewable electricity adoption and enable the coal industry to reduce its carbon footprint. Likewise, carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, along with clean-powered equipment, present several opportunities for sustainability and resource efficiency.
Of course, there are several challenges to implementation, including pushback from coal miners who fear unemployment. From 2011 to 2016, the US lost 43% of coal mining jobs, leaving about 40 000 out of work – a trend blamed on the alternative energy market.
Despite fuel expenses accounting for 30 – 50% of heavy equipment operating costs, investing in more efficient technologies and infrastructure is expensive. CCS systems at mining locations also come with logistical issues, such as land use requirements, site suitability for long-term carbon sequestration and transportation of CO2 through pipelines.
Best practices and technologies shaping the future of mining
Green mining looks promising with the rise of artificial intelligence, machine learning, real-time monitoring, advanced sensors, and automation. As such, reducing mining emissions is best achieved through new practices and technological developments.
Because mining is power-intensive, replacing diesel-powered conveyances and equipment with autonomous vehicles and robotics will greatly minimise harmful gas emissions and create safer working conditions. Real-time data collection and analytics also improve efficiency, resource use, and decision-making.
Extracting coalbed methane from coal seams using extraction systems, CCS technologies and other gas recovery techniques can especially mitigate methane seepage and the potential for dangerous explosions. CCS traps methane within coal deposits and uses it as an electricity source to power mining operations. The Zhundong coalfield in China’s Xinjiang Province currently uses this green mining technology to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
Restoring degraded land post-mining is equally essential for decreasing industry emissions. By reclaiming mines and planting new vegetation, the coal sector rebuilds the regional carbon sequestration capacity.
It is time to clean coal up mining
Although coal’s role in the energy mix is waning, the need for it endures, especially since renewable power adoption is gradual. Rather than fight change, the coal mining industry should pivot through decarbonisation initiatives for more sustainable and prolonged production.
Author bio
Jane Marsh is a seasoned environmental journalist and the Editor-in-Chief of Environment.co, specialising in in-depth coverage of environmental trends, sustainability, and the evolving energy landscape. With her work featured on leading platforms like Renewable Energy Magazine, Manufacturing.net, and Nation of Change, Jane brings a keen perspective on the intersection of energy innovation and industry practices.
Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/coal/12032025/mining-without-emissions-the-future-of-decarbonised-operations-in-the-coal-industry/