Companion Post To Granny's Post Below.

PLEASE READ GRANNY'S POST BELOW THIS ONE! IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN AND OF THE EARTH ITSELF.

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MOUNTAIN TOP REMOVAL MINING (brief video)



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Before: Some of the Mountains in danger. NOTE: These mountains "grew" - were pushed up by tectonic forces - at a rate of about 1/2 inch per year, unimaginable millennia to our brief human years. The greedy Destroyers blast off up to 1,000 feet of the mountain top just to get to the coal seam ( see article below), then rip off more to the depth of the seam(s). Therefore, these mountains can NEVER "re-grow" to their previous magnificent splendor, not in the lifetime of the entire human race. Neither can the poisoned earth recover from the destruction.



After (during) mountain top removal. Note: this type of mining is used to extract different types of ores and minerals all over the United States and the rest of the world. It is a cheap, efficient way to mine, adding to the profits of the greedy mining interests. To hell with the earth, the people, the environment and ecology. Greed rules. Adopting alternate sources of energy would make their businesses obsolete and greed will not allow that.



Destroying Mountains - Mountain Removal Mining http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strip_mining#Strip_mining

excerpts and edits:

Mountaintop removal

Mountaintop removal mining (MTR) is a relatively new form of coal mining that involves the mass restructuring of earth in order to reach the coal seam as deep as 1,000 feet below the surface. It is used where a coal seam outcrops all the way around a mountain top. All the rock and soil above the coal seam are removed and the soil placed (dumped) in adjacent lows such as hollows or ravines (and valleys).

The technique has been used increasingly in recent years in the Appalachian coal fields of West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee in the United States. The profound changes in topography and disturbance of pre-existing ecosystems have made mountaintop removal highly controversial.

Critics contend that mountaintop removal is a disastrous practice that benefits a small number of corporations at the expense of local communities and the environment. A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency environmental impact statement finds that streams near valley fills from mountaintop removal contain high levels of (toxic) minerals in the water and decreased aquatic biodiversity.^[2] The statement also estimates that 724 miles of Appalachian streams were buried by valley fills from 1985 to 2001.

^{(READ THAT AGAIN! 724 MILES of streams buried by valley fills ! How many more to come?)}

In common with other methods of coal mining, processing the coal mined by mountaintop removal generates waste slurry (also called coal sludge), which is usually stored behind a dam on-site. Many coal slurry impoundments in West Virginia exceed 500 million gallons in volume, and some, including the Brushy Fork impoundment in Raleigh County, exceed 7 billion (BILLION) gallons.^[3] Such impoundments can be hundreds of feet high and be in close proximity to schools or private residences.^[4] The most controversial sludge dam at present sits 400 yards above Marsh Fork Elementary School. The sludge pond is permitted to hold 2.8 billion gallons of toxic sludge, and is 21 times larger than the pond which killed 125 people in the Buffalo Creek Flood.^[5]

^{(And what in hell will they DO with all this poisonous, toxic slurry after they've finished destroying the mountain, burying valleys and streams? What CAN be done to dispose of it? Leave it there to endanger all downstream from it, to seep into the ground water and even the earth itself?)}

Kentucky's Martin County Sludge Spill occurred after midnight on October 11, 2000 when a coal sludge impoundment broke through into an underground mine below, propelling 306 million gallons of sludge down two tributaries of the Tug Fork River. The spill polluted hundreds of miles of waterways, contaminated the water supply for over 27,000 residents, and killed all aquatic life in Coldwater Fork and Wolf Creek.

Blasting at a mountaintop removal mine expels coal dust and fly-rock into the air, which can then disturb or settle onto private property nearby. This dust contains sulfur compounds, which corrodes structures and tombstones and is a health hazard.^[6]

In the United States, the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 mandates reclamation of surface coal mines. Reclamation for non-coal mines, is regulated by state and local laws, which may vary widely.(Reclamation consists of stabilizing the destroyed, excavated surface, planting native grasses and perhaps constructing ponds. Brainwashing the public consists of glorious burble and photos of little duckies swimming in the ponds. No comments about the poisoned earth leaching toxic materials into said ponds. Also, trees will not grow in compacted soil so the previously magnificent forests and wildlife never return. SOME mining corps. do NOT reclaim the destroyed areas, just leave the horror as is.)

Although there are reports by communities impacted by this evil practise, there are no long term studies on the human health effects.

BushCo would open the door wider to greater laxity and greater profits for these mining megacorporations. PROTEST TO YOUR REPRESENTATVES. READ GRANNY'S POST BELOW.

If you are interested, see these sites;

http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/earth/surface-of-the-earth/when-mountains-move.html\

Additional Sources For Destruction of Earth's Creation: http://www.seafriends.org.nz/enviro/soil/geosoil.htm

how mts form soil - vegetation
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http://www.newsoutherner.com/Missing_Mountains.htm

http://www.ilovemountains.org/multimedia
excellent - videos - photos - articles about mountain removal mining coal.

COMMENTS:

Gadfly said...

You and Granny, go get 'em gals! There might be snow on your roofs but there's plenty of fire in your bellies.

Recently old Worried was bad talking some of the earth rapers an a sneering smart ass butted in, "what're you? One of them Tree Huggers, Whale Watchers or Save the Spotted Owl fanatics?"

Before I could jump in with a few choice words, she retorted with a gentle smile, "I'm an Earth Lover. I want future generations to have something left to enjoy."

Probably a better answer than I would have given but not nearly as satisfying (to me). The volcano inside was boiling to erupt then I had to swallow it. Dammit.

Friday, November 07, 2008 9:22:00 PM

November 07, 2008 9:22:00 PM

fjb said...

Hey girls, what Gadfly said!:)

Here's a link you might be interested in MiningWatch.

Friday, November 07, 2008 9:42:00 PM

WA: Thank you Fiona!