Chemistry Depth Study – Organic Chemistry

Resource Description

This was based on the chemistry depth study for organic chemistry, primarily involving fuels, hydrocarbons, polymers and renewable energy sources.

Coal – Mining

Coal, a combustible black rock is a type of hydrocarbon is extracted and obtained from the ground through multiple different mechanisms and processes. Similarly, other hydrocarbons are also extracted from the Earth using mechanical, chemical and geological procedures. Coal is primarily obtained through Surface Mining and Underground Mining. Surface mining further dichotomises to Strip Mining, Open-Cut Mining and Mountaintop Removal Mining (MTR). Surface mining involves the following sequence of operation; Initially the land is cleared for trees and vegetation, allowing miners to expose the layers of topsoil. Drilling with industrial machinery begins over the rigid strata layers, this process is often accelerated with the use of explosives or fragmenting tools such as Ammonium Nitrate (NH4NO3) and Fuel Oil. Underground mining works through digging holes into the lithosphere for coal extraction. Larger coal deposits stored underground are extracted through the processing of Underground Mining, whereby tunnels are excavated through the use of hydraulic machinery. Underground deposits of coal are mined and exported to the surface for further transportation and use. Underground mining may further diverge into: Room and Pillar, Longwall, Shortwall and Thick Seam Mining, which vary the excavation process through the use of different mining mechanisms.