This collection uses primary sources to explore coal mining and labor in West Virginia.

Discusses methods used to mine for coal. Click on 'Coal Mining' section of WCI report 'The Coal Resource' at the bottom of the page for a PDF file that describes coal mining processes in more detail.

Find out about the effects of coal mining on the environment, the rehabilitation of land after mining, and proper mining management.

A look into the coal mining industry in the Gilded Age through maps, timelines, images, and primary source documents.

Explains what mountaintop coal mining is, the stages involved, where it is being done in the United States, and the impact on local communities and the environment.

A brief history of coal mining in Indiana.

The first coal mine was opened in Cape Breton in 1720. Read about the long history of coal mining there, mining techniques, how coal is formed, the industry's impact on immigration, coal miners' unionization, etc. There is a detailed...

Easy-to-understand information and a colorful diagram on the underground and surface mining methods used for extracting coal.

Students will learn about the history of coal mining in the United States by examining a timeline of key dates. In this two-part lesson, they will do research to discover why the coal industry is important to the economy and what types...

William Chapman explains why scientists often describe the Arctic as the "canary in the coal mine" when it comes to climate change. [3:59]

Easy-to-understand information on mining and transporting coal, producing it, uses of coal, and coal and the environment.

Bureau of Labor Statistics provides information on mining and geological engineering which includes the nature of the industry, working conditions, employment, outlook, and earnings.

Information from an Ohio State University site. You can read about the many hazards coal miners in the 19th century faced while digging coal to fuel the emerging industry of America.

An activity where students simulate the process of extracting coal from the ground using chocolate chip cookies. They then calculate the costs involved to determine whether coal mining is profitable.

The impact of surface or strip coal mining in the United States, and the government response to it, are examined in this article.

Chapter 7 of a report on the energy industry in Texas. It looks at coal, its history, its uses, its economic impact in Texas, consumption, mining, and the transportation of coal. The process of generating electricity from coal is...

Comprehensive overview of why coal is a major source of energy in the United States. Find out what coal is, what it is used for, how it is mined, where coal reserves are located, and how it is converted into electricity.

The U.S. has enough coal to last for the next 200-300 years. So why are we not using more of it? This article describes the different types or "ranks" of coal, the history, and the problems with burning coal for energy.

This collection uses primary sources to explore twentieth-century mining in the Mojave Desert.

As a regulatory agency, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) provides safety information to coal miners.

A map of British Columbia that shows the locations of all the coal and metal mining operation in British Columbia in 2008. Each coal and mining operation is linked to a secondary web page that provides detailed information on the various...

The history and economy of the mining industry in West Virginia are presented.

Site from the Mine Safety and Health Administration that aims at teaching children about mining, prospecting, mine safety, and what the human body needs from natural resources.

Explore the coal boom of the late 1860s and learn about the difficult lives of the miners and their families.