What is a modern steelmaking coal project?
When some people hear the word “coal”, they picture soot-covered miners holding pickaxes or old-timey footage of train engineers shoveling coal into a steam engine. But those outdated images couldn’t be further from the truth.
So, what is the difference between an historical coal mine and a modern steelmaking coal project?
For starters, it’s the coal itself. Most historical coal mines produced thermal coal, which is lower quality and used primarily for energy production. Modern steelmaking coal projects produce metallurgical coal, which is higher quality and used for – you guessed it – steelmaking.
And while the demand for thermal coal has been rapidly decreasing, the demand for steelmaking coal has been steadily increasing. That’s because it’s essential for producing high-quality steel, which is crucial for building key infrastructure, renewable energy projects and everything from kitchen utensils and refrigerators to cars and rocket ships.
The way we mine steelmaking coal has also changed drastically.
There have been huge advancements in mining technology and environmental practices that allow us to minimize impacts and disruptions to the environment. We can collect and analyze detailed data from streams, creeks, groundwater and geology on mine sites to create optimized mine plans and treatment methods.
Early coal mines weren’t aware of some of the hazards and contaminants that they produced, or the impact that they would have on the wildlife. But now we have closed-loop water regimes, advanced water treatment systems and continuous monitoring to ensure that our operations meet and exceed stringent government regulations that ensure responsible mining.
Finally, once modern coal mines are finished operations, we now have the technology to reclaim the land. We accomplish this by removing hazards and replenishing the site with native plant species, ensuring it can be used and enjoyed by future generations.
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