[Hoot Gibson]

100% for coal! Strip mining requires less workers than deep mining. It may be safer but it causes more damage than good. though it seems hazard was made from strip mining.

A common misconception, perpetrated by radical environmentalists and our mainstream media is that coal companies have the choice between underground mining and surface mining. That is usually not the case. In most cases, geologic conditions, safety considerations, and economics dictate which mining methods may be employed for a given block of coal reserves.

When a company does have the choice between mining methods, it should opt to surface mine. Recovery rates for surface mining can exceed 90 percent, versus 50 to 60 percent for underground mining, and roughly 30 to 35 percent for auger mining. Longwall mining can in some cases achieve recovery rates similar to surface mining but longwall mining requires large contiguous blocks of reserves and operations are usually conducted under deep cover.

Deep mining coal that can be economically recovered by surface mining is extremely wasteful. Coal is a valuable, non-renewable resource and mining recovery rates should be maximized whenever it can be done safely.