Coal is mined in open pits if it is close to the surface, or from underground mines if it is deeper in the Earth’s crust. The process of extracting coal from within the Earth’s crust is called shaft mining. Vertical wells are drilled and a shaft is constructed. Corridors are mined out on various levels to take out the coal. Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny, is an example of an Irish town where coal mining used to take place.
: Figure 3.8 Coal mining in an open pit ACT VITY
(a) Imagine there is a coal mine in your local area. List the positive and negative impacts on the area. Work in pairs.
(b) Do you think coal mining is a sustainable activity? Give three reasons to justify your answer. Oil and gas
Oil and gas are extracted from rock by drilling and pumping. The process involves drilling deep into the Earth’s crust and pumping the oil and gas to the surface. This can also be done offshore from a rig in the sea. The oil or gas is then piped ashore.
Building materials
We extract rock from the Earth’s surface for building purposes every day. This is done through the process of quarrying. Large machinery is used to cut rock out of the crust, or explosives are used to break rock away from the crust. Rocks that are used as building materials include limestone, sandstone and marble.
: Figure 3.10 A marble quarry ACT VITY
Take a look at https://educateplus.ie/go/gsi and find a quarry near you. Record the following information: (a) the name of the quarry (b) the type of rock that is extracted (c) how the rock is extracted
(d) what the rock is used for
(e) any additional information that you find interesting.
