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Surface mining is used for an estimated 40% of coal production. Used machinery equipment can be used to extract coal. Extracting coal is less expensive if it's found near the surface. Once coal is extracted, the topsoil is then replaced and native trees and vegetation is planted to restore the original condition. There are three different types of surface mining: contour, strip, and mountaintop removal mining. 1- Contour Mining: Contour Mining is most commonly used in areas that have steep or rolling terrain. It involves digging the earth above the coal line, or coal seam, along the contours of the hilly terrain. This method can be dangerous because it may cause landslides and erosion problems. 2- Strip Mining: Strip Mining usually occurs on flat terrain. The earth is dug up in long cuts or strips until the coal seam is exposed. After the strip has been drilled and blasted and all the coal has been removed, a new strip is created right next to it and the process continues. 3- Mountaintop Removal Mining: Mountaintop Removal Mining involves using a combination of Contour Mining and Strip Mining. The mountaintops are removed to expose the coal beneath and the coal is extracted. Underground Mining Methods If the coal seams are too deep underground, then deep underground mining is necessary. Deep underground mining methods include Continuous, Longwall, Blast, Retreat Mining and Shortwall Mining. o Continuous Mining: A machine that has a large rotating steel drum with tungsten carbide teeth scrapes coal from the seam. Conveyors are used to transport the removed coal. About 5 tons of coal can be mined per minute. Accounts for about 45% of underground coal production. o Longwall Mining: A sophisticated machine that has a rotating drum that mechanically moves back and forth along the seam. Loosened coal falls on the pan line which takes the coal to the conveyor belt. Accounts for about 50% of coal production. o Blast: An older mining method that uses dynamite and explosives to break away the coal seam. Accounts for less than 5% of coal production. o Retreat Mining: One of the most dangerous coal mining methods. Pillars are used to hold up the mine roof as coal is extracted. The pillars collapse as miners retreat. o Shortwall Mining: Similar to longwall mining. Uses a continuous mining machine with moveable roof supports. The machine shears coal panels about 200 feet wide and half a mile long.

Growing gas prices have been a constant source of concern for everyone in recent years. No matter how much money they make, no one wants to pay a lot to put gas in their car, especially now that many people are out of a job. Unfortunately, paying extra at the pump seems inevitable since the average person relies on gas in their daily life. Whether they have a job to attend everyday or are looking for one, most people cannot just refuse to pay the high prices for gas. However, this scenario is likely to change in the future, thanks to a little-known technology called underground coal gasification. Considering its ability to change the way we power our cars, along with its effect on our pocketbooks, it is surprising that more people do not know about underground coal gasification. It carries the added bonus of decreasing emissions and removing the need for mining, which should appeal to everyone in a world that is "going green." Though the most important aspects of underground coal gasification deal with saving money and our planet, some knowledge of how the process works is helpful when it comes to promoting this cause. Underground coal gasification takes advantage of our abundant natural resources while using technology intelligently. To start the process, two wells are drilled just above where the coal lies, which is called the coal seam. Air is pumped in through the first well, and the coal is ignited until it reaches temperatures high enough to create carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and negligible amounts of hydrogen sulfide and methane. Oxidants introduced through the first well guide the newly created synthetic gas out through the second well, where it is filtered to create clean fuel.

Though most people are either unaware of underground coal gasification or have only recently heard about it, the idea has been around for some time. Basic work was performed on the process as early as the late 19th century, though most experimentation at that time was thwarted by World War I and not resumed until World War II ended. Most testing of this process occurred in what was the Soviet Union around the year 1930. However, other countries have since gained an interest in underground coal gasification. China is just one of them, and is now home of the leading operation. The U.S. also experimented with the technology for some time, particularly taking interest during the 1970s due to the energy crisis at that time. But the country became complacent when oil prices suddenly plummeted in the 1980s, effectively stopping investigations into underground coal gasification. Due to surging oil prices and increased concern for the environment, interest in the process has once again picked up. Recent demonstrations near a town called Chinchilla in Queensland, Australia, have shown that the process is much more beneficial for the environment than our current method of obtaining energy. These findings have added to the worldwide interest in underground coal gasification. One might wonder how this process will save consumers money. It's a simple example of supply and demand. Oil prices increase substantially when one of our main oil suppliers suspends sales to our country, or when equipment that is instrumental in giving us oil breaks down temporarily. Oil is a somewhat limited resource, which makes it expensive. Turning our natural resource of coal into gas not only means that there is more of it, but the process is less expensive than traditional mining methods. The simple transportation of gas is also far less costly than that of oil or solid coal, and there is no waste to clean up since the entire process is completed underground. The resulting gas is filtered once it hits open air, so what we see is called a clean fuel. The lack of knowledge among the general public regarding underground coal gasification has hindered its progression as the next mainstream source of energy. Anyone interested in both saving money on gas in the near future and saving the environment at the same time should look further into this process. Everyone knows our current way of obtaining energy needs a makeover, and taking a chance on a new technique like underground coal gasification could result in the change the energy industry needs. Jim Baysack writes about different environmental topics. Coal to gas [http://www.lincenergy.us] is an upcoming clean future energy people should look into.

Since 2006 a disturbing phenomenon has appeared across North America and Europe - the mysterious disappearance of 40 - 90% of the population of honeybees. Dubbed honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), scientists, beekeepers and farmers alike are attempting to find the cause of this baffling disorder which could very well be an indicator of the health of our planet in general. CCD occurs when in a very short time (within about three weeks), a previously healthy colony of bees suddenly appears vacated by the adult bees, leaving behind the capped brood, bee bread and honey. Mysteriously, no dead adult bees are found around the hive and the food stores typically raided by other colonies or pests remain untouched. Now, this does not just mean that consumers can expect to see much higher prices for honey. It is estimated that approximately 1/3 of the world's food is dependent on honeybee pollination. Many beekeepers load their bees on trucks and travel across North America, charging farmers to pollinate their crops. As the bees disappear, the farmers will have to pay more for the service, passing the increase on to consumers. Eventually, the inevitable decrease in food production could mean less variety and availability of the world's food supply. There is an array of suspected causes of CCD: *pesticide use *genetically-altered species of food *chemical use in bee colonies *a lack of genetic diversity in breeding queens *varroa mites (and the viruses they carry) *electromagnetic radiation from cell phone towers *feeding practises of wintering adult bees (high fructose corn syrup) *toxins from pollution ...and many more. The general consensus seems to be that a combination of environmental factors including stress on the colony from being moved around the country has over-exposed the bees to an overwhelming number of negative factors. As researchers, beekeepers, government and environmental agencies increasingly turn their attention to CCD, proponents of organic beekeeping are adding their voices to the conversation. Together, their best advice at this time is for increased awareness and best practises when it comes to colony management; such as limiting the geographical area of travel for the colony, quarantining any collapsing hives, advocating for less pesticide use, avoiding genetically-modified crops, and careful management of antibiotics. The world community cannot afford to ignore CCD - like the proverbial canary in the coal-mine, the disappearance of the tiny honeybee is the harbinger of greater biological problems in our environment.

More investors are now inquiring about Coalbed Methane exploration companies. Just as uranium miners were flying well below the radar screen in early 2004, coalbed methane exploration may very well be the next very hot sector later this year and next. Historically, coalbed methane gas endangered coal miners, resulting in alarming fatalities early in the previous century. This is the fate suffered today by many Chinese coal miners in the smaller, private coal mines. Typically, the methane gas trapped in coal seams was flared out, before underground mining began, in order to prevent those explosions. Rising natural gas prices have long since ended that practice. Today, coalbed methane companies are turning a centuries-long nuisance and byproduct into a valuable resource. About 9 percent of total US natural gas production comes from the natural gas found in coal seams. Because natural gas prices have soared, along with the bull markets found in uranium, oil, and precious and base metals, coalbed methane has come into play. It is after all a natural gas. But because it is outside the realm of the petroleum industry, coalbed methane, or CBM as many industry insiders call it, is called the unconventional gas. It may be unconventional today, but as the industry continue to grow by leaps and bounds, on a global scale, CBM may soon achieve some respect. Please remember that a few years ago, there was very little cheerleading about nuclear energy. Today, positive news items are running far better than ten to one in favor of that power source. CBM is the natural gas contained in coal. It consists primarily of methane, the gas we use for home heating, gas-fired electrical generation, and industrial fuel. The energy source within natural gas is methane (chemically, it is CH4), whether it comes from the oil industry or from coal beds. CBM has several strong points in its favor. The gases produced from CBM fields are often nearly 90 percent methane. Which type of gas has more impurities? No, it isn't the natural, or conventional, gas you thought it might be. Frequently, CBM gas has fewer impurities than the "natural gas" produced from conventional wells. CBM exploration is done at a more shallow level, between 250 and 1000 meters, than conventional gas wells, which sometimes are drilled below 5,000 meters. CBM wells can last a long time - some could produce for 40 years or longer. Natural gas is created by the compression of underground organic matter combined with the earth's high temperatures thousands of meters below surface. Conventional gas fills the spaces between the porous reservoir rocks. The coalification process is similar but the result is different: both the coalbed and the methane gas are trapped in the coal seams. Instead of filling the tiny spaces between the rocks, the coal gas is within the coal seams. One of the past problems associated with CBM exploration was the reliance upon expensive horizontal drilling techniques to extract the methane gas from the coal seams. Advanced fracturing techniques and breakthrough horizontal drilling techniques have increased CBM success ratios. As a result, a growing number of exploration companies are pursuing the early bull market in CBM. Market capitalizations for many of these companies mirror similar "early plays" we mentioned during our mid 2004 uranium coverage (June through October, 2004). Industry experts told us there would be a uranium bull market. Now, we are hearing the same forecasts about CBM. SEVEN TIPS BY DR. DAVID MARCHIONI We asked Dr. David Marchioni to provide our subscribers with his 7 Tips to help investors better understand what to look for, before investing in a CBM play. Dr. Marchioni helped co-author the CBM textbook, An Assessment of Coalbed Methane Exploration Projects in Canada, published by the Geological Survey of Canada. He is also president of Petro-Logic Services in Calgary, whose clients have included the Canadian divisions of Apache, BP, BHP, Burlington, Devon, El Paso Energy, and Phillips Petroleum, among others. He is also a director of Pacific Asia China Energy and is overseeing the company's CBM exploration program in China. Our series of telephone and email interviews began while Dr. Marchioni sat on a drill rig in Alberta's foothills, the Manville region, until he finished outlining his top 7 tips, or advices, on how to think like a CBM professional. 1) COAL SEAM THICKNESS Is there a reasonable thickness of coal? You should find out how thick the coal seams are. With thickness, you get the regional extent of the resource. For example, there must be a minimum thickness into which one can drill a horizontal well. 2) GAS CONTENT Typically, gas content is expressed as cubic feet of gas per ton of coal. Find how thick it is and how far it is spread. Then, you have a measure of unit gas content. Between coal seam thickness and gas content, you can determine the size of the resource. You have to look at both thickness and gas content. It's of no use to have high gas content if you don't have very much coal. The industry looks at resource per unit area. In other words, how much gas is in place per acre, hectare, or square mile? In the early stage of the CBM exploration, this really all you have to work with in evaluating its potential. 3) MATURITY LEVEL OF THE COAL This is the measure of the stage the coal has reached between the mineral's inception as peat. Peat matures to become lignite. Later, it develops into bituminous coal, then semi-anthracite and finally anthracite. There is a progressive maturation of coal as a geological time continuum and the earth's temperature, depending upon depth. By measuring certain parameters, you can determine where it is in the chemical process. For instance, the chemistry of lignite is different from that of anthracite. This phrasing is called "coal rank" in coal industry terminology. 4) PERMEABILITY When you are beginning to think about CBM production, this and the next item must be evaluated. How permeable is the CBM property? You want permeability, otherwise the gas can't flow. If the coal isn't permeable at all, you can never generate gas. The gas has to be able to flow. If it is extremely permeable, then you can perhaps never pump enough water. The water just keeps getting replaced from the large area surrounding the well bore. The water will just keep coming, and you will never lower the pressure so the gas can be released. 5) WATER In a very high proportion of CBM plays, the coal contains quite a lot of water. You have to pump the water off in order to reduce the pressure in the coal bed. Gas is held in coal by pressure. The deeper you go, typically the more gas you get, because the pressure is higher. The way to induce the gas to start flowing is to pump the water out of the coal and lower the "water head" of pressure. How much water are we going to produce? Are we going to have to dispose of it? If it's fresh, then there may be problems with regulatory agencies. In Alberta, the government has restrictions on extracting fresh water because others might want to use it. One could be tapping into a zone that people use as water wells for farms and rural communities. Both water quality and water volume matter. For example, Manville water is very salient so nobody wants to put it into a river; this water is pushed back down into existing oil and gas wells in permeable zones (but which are also not connected to the coal). 6) FUNDING To be able to access land and do some initial drilling, i.e. the first round of financing, it would cost a minimum of C$4 million. This would include some geological work and drilling at least five or six wells. In Horseshoe, that would cost around C$4 million (say 1st round of finance); in Manville, about C$9 million. This is under the assumption that the company doesn't buy the land. The land in western Canada is very expensive and tightly held. Much of the work is done as a "farm in" drilling on land held by another for a percentage of the play. (Editor's note: During a previous interview, Dr. Marchioni commented about his preference for Pacific Asia China Energy's land position in China because comparable land in western Canada would have cost "$100 million or more." 7) INFRASTRUCTURE The geology only tells you what's there, and what the chances of success are. You then have to pursue it. Can we sell it? Gas prices are "local," meaning they vary from country to country, depending whether it is locally produced and in what abundance (or lack thereof). How much can we extract? How much is it going to cost us to get it out of the ground? Are there readily available services for this property? Will you have to helicopter a rig onto the property at some incredible price just to drill it? Will you have to build a pipeline to transport the gas? Or, in China as an example, are there established convoys for trucking LNG across hundreds of kilometers? One addition, which we have mentioned in previous articles, and especially in the Market Outlook Journal, "Quality of Management Attracts PR," it is important that the CBM company have experienced management. This would mean a management team that includes those who have gotten results, not only a veteran exploration geologist but a team that can sell the story and bring in the mandatory financing to move the project into production. There are two primary reasons why many of these coalbed methane plays are being taken seriously. First, the macroeconomic reason is that rising energy costs have driven companies in the energy fields to pursue any economic projects to help fill the energy gap. Coalbed methane has a more than two decades of proof in the United States. The excitement has spread to Canada, China and India, where CBM exploration is beginning to take off. Second, the fundamental reason is that exploration work has already been done in delineating coal deposits. There are, perhaps, 800 coal basins globally, with less than 50 CBM producing basins. In other words, there is the potential for growth in this sector.

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