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Pre-Surface Mining Law photos |
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This site was mined and left unreclaimed in the early 1970's. It was an Eastern Kentucky contour mine that followed the coal outcrop around the mountain. The mine operator only excavated into the hillside about 100 feet, the point where it was uneconomical for him to remove the overburden with bulldozers. All trees and overburden were pushed over the edge of the bench and left to erode down the hillside. After the coal was removed from the bench auger mining was done to remove some of the coal behind the highwall (auger holes can be seen along the coal seam). Water draining from these auger holes and the surface above the mine can be seen collecting on the bench and creating an unstable condition that is likely to cause a landslide. Enlarged Photo (27 KB file) Photo credit: Rodger Betson, Tennessee Valley Authority.
Before the Surface Mining Law was passed in 1977, mile upon mile of bare highwalls scarred the Appalachian skyline, as shown in this Tennessee scene. In addition to the visual destruction of this mountainous landscape the spoil that was pushed downslope from the mining operation quickly eroded and destroyed the streams and rivers below the mine. When left unreclaimed mining operations like this were a safety hazard and a long term threat to the natural environment. Enlarged Photo (20 KB file) Photo credit: Rodger Betson, Tennessee Valley Authority.
This mining method got its name when the coal was exposed by blasting and pushing the overburden down the side of a mountain. Prior to the Surface Mining Law this was a common practice used to extract coal in the Eastern part of the country. In this photo the bulldozer is pushing trees and topsoil down the hillside and creating a narrow level bench. The machine seen working on the bench is drilling a series of holes that will be filled with explosives to blast the overburden down the hillside and expose the coal. For an illustrated description of mining before and after the Surface Mining Law, see the Coloring Book in the Learning Gateway. Enlarged Photo (20 KB file) Photo credit: Rodger Betson, Tennessee Valley Authority.
This scene, typical of East Tennessee surface coal mining in the early 1970's shows an unreclaimed contour mine. The mine operator followed the coal seam around the mountain pushing the overburden down the hillside. Without any reclamation the dangerous unstable highwall remained exposed and the disturbed soil and overburden was left to erode and pollute nearby streams. Enlarged Phogo (33 KB file) Photo credit: Rodger Betson, Tennessee Valley Authority.