Weathering rates for mined lands exponentially higher than unmined sites
Tuesday, September 25, 2018 - 13:50
in Earth & Climate
Mountaintop removal, a coal-mining technique used in much of Central Appalachia, is an extreme form of surface mining, that excavates ridges as deep as 600 feet—twice the length of a football field—and buries adjacent valleys and streams in bedrock and coal residue. This mining activity has long been known to have negative impacts on water quality downstream.