Waste coal, a by-product of coal processing, can be used for fuel and extracting usable metals, but has environmental concerns due to heavy metal contaminants. Abandoned waste coal piles are banned in many nations and companies must dispose of or control waste coal. Controversy exists over handling waste coal in communities due to leaching issues and concerns about pollution transfer. Companies also have to deal with toxic tailings.
Waste coal is a by-product of coal processing, containing carbon, along with trace minerals, dirt and other materials. It is potentially usable for a variety of applications, although there are environmental concerns associated with the recovery and use of waste coal. Depending on regional parlance, a variety of colorful terms are used to refer to this coal product, including gob and culm. It is typically collected in large piles near a coal processing plant.
One potential use of waste coal is fuel. It can be burned directly or cleaned and burned to generate electricity, and many power plants are equipped to handle waste coal, although it is less efficient than conventional coal. Processing can also be used to extract usable metals in coal for industrial uses. In some regions, piles of waste coal have become recreational sites and have been reclaimed with the use of vegetation.
A major environmental concern is the presence of a number of contaminants in coal. These can include heavy metals. A poorly controlled dump can seep into the surrounding environment, introducing mercury and other materials into the soil, air and water. When waste coal is burned, these products can be released into the environment through the ventilation stacks and a large amount of potentially toxic coal ash is generated. This coal ash must be disposed of somehow and is difficult to get rid of due to the contaminants it contains.
In regions of the world where coal mining has been practiced for generations, abandoned piles of scrap coal can be seen. Many nations now ban the practice of abandoning mining waste, and companies must take steps to dispose of or control waste coal if they intend to close a mine. The companies are also held responsible for coal-related pollution. Environmental remediation plans can be submitted to the community with the goal of obtaining approval for a particular coal treatment method.
There is some controversy over how mining waste such as coal should be handled in some communities. The volume of many waste piles is a significant issue, as plans for material handling must consider the large amount of coal involved. Some communities are in favor of leaving the piles in place despite the leaching issues, while others want them to be transported elsewhere, raising concerns about pollution transfer to other regions. In addition to waste, many companies also have to deal with tailings, materials leached from coal during processing. Tailings have no use and are often very toxic.
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