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Sustainable coal waste disposal practices 247

not compromise the potential prosperity and quality of life of future generations” [5].
In other words, coal mining in all of its various facets, including waste disposal, is
sustainable if it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.
Mining epitomizes the challenge of sustainability because, as previously stated, no
other industry has such a direct impact on the natural environment yet provides so
many essentials to modern society and the global economy. Existing and future min-
ing operations will face some or all of the following challenges [6] when it comes to
sustainability:

l Dwindling ore reserves that force operations to move closer to areas that are environmentally
or culturally sensitive or are more densely populated.
l Population growth that causes urban areas to move closer to existing mining operations.
l Discovery of new reserves in remote locations that range from pristine wilderness areas to
undeveloped or underdeveloped countries.
Increased environmental awareness among the general public, elected officials, and the
l
media leading to heightened levels of scrutiny on mining operations.
The aim of fostering sustainability in coal mining is to ensure that coal, and more
broadly, energy utilization is minimized without having a negative impact on eco-
nomic growth and standard of living. “Reduce” is one of the three “R” principles
of sustainability. The other two are “reuse” and “recycle.”
Recycling coal is a hard concept to grasp because most coal is burned to generate
heat that is converted to electricity; however, recycling is very applicable when con-
sidering the mining industry as a whole [7]. Many of the products produced by mines
can be recycled, which reduces the demand for the mine’s product. Successful mining
companies understand that recycling not only extends the life of the mine but also can
create new markets. Recycling requires specific types of equipment that may be dif-
ferent from those required to produce traditional products, but they are made from
mining products nonetheless. Successful mining companies work with their customers
to improve the efficiency and performance of each and every product.
Reuse is particularly important for CCR waste. CCRs can be beneficially used as a
replacement for raw material removed from the earth to manufacture many different
products. This not only does conserve natural resources but also reduces CCR disposal
costs. CCRs have been found to improve the strength and durability of products over
what they are when made with virgin raw material. In addition, reuse of coal ash
encapsulates potentially hazardous material preventing it from causing negative envi-
ronmental impacts if simply disposed of [8].

13.1.3 Current waste disposal practices
13.1.3.1 Overburden waste

Despite the fact that the amount of material moved by surface mining methods is enor-
mous compared with underground mining methods, surface mining achieves a lower
cost per ton based on economies of scale achievable with the method and equipment
used. Thus, when coal seams are readily accessible from the surface due to shallow