Coal - ancient underground plant

• Coal - an ancient plant underground

Coal was formed a few hundred million years ago, part of ancient plants buried without oxygen. He was the first human use of fossil fuels and make it possible the industrial revolution.

According to the BP report, the issued this week, last year, coal has become the fastest growing energy source in the world. The share of coal in the world energy consumption has reached 30, 1 percent - the highest rate since 1970.

In addition, coal mining is considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Mortality in the industry is leading Russia along with Ukraine and China.

Ukrainian miner waiting for the bus after the end of the shift at the coal mine near Donetsk, Ukraine, May 20, 2014.

The giant bucket-wheel excavator, Germany, August 20, 2010.

Indian workers loaded coal car on the outskirts of Jammu, India, August 23, 2012.

Coal Company in Shaanxi Province, China.

In ancient peat bogs, starting from the Devonian period (approximately 400 million years ago), accumulated organic matter, from which the absence of oxygen formed fossil coal. Age of the oldest coal is estimated at about 300-400 million years.

By the way, unlike coal, which was formed from plants, petroleum was formed from the remains of dead organisms that lived millions of years ago and plunged into the depths of the earth's crust. Oil formation - a process very long (usually 50-350 million years).

The methods of coal mining depend on its depth. The development is the open way in the coal mines when the coal seam depth of less than 100 meters. Frequent and such cases when more and more coal mine deepening further advantageous to conduct coal mining by underground methods.

Blasting. It is coal mining in Virginia.

For the extraction of coal from deep mines are used. The deepest mine in Russia extract coal from just over 1,200 meters.

This mine in India depth of 90 meters. Miners in it down the rickety wooden stairs.

38-year-old working mine in India, raises a basket of charcoal weighing 60 kg!

... and when he reached the place of the mine, pour a basket of charcoal over her head.

coal mine Borodino of Krasnoyarsk, November 15, 2012. It employs huge excavator, which loaded coal train cars.

Train loaded with coal at the Cut Borodino of Krasnoyarsk.

Sometimes the heavy coal trains happen here such a catastrophe. Baltimore, Ohio, May 10, 1998.

This is Germany. giant bucket wheel excavators are working in coal mines.

The giant machine. In the back of this truck is about 250 tons of coal.

Carbon machines also impress. Utah, March 28, 2009.

coal mine in the province of Punjab, Pakistan, April 29, 2014. The donkeys do about 20 "flights" in the day with bags of 20 kg each. The work is dangerous, there is a risk of landslides. The miners say they are doing everything possible to take care of animals but donkeys life expectancy is 12-13 years. For comparison, the domestic asses live 25-35 years.

The coal power station in Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom.

According to the proven reserves of coal Russia is in second place after the US (19%). On the other hand, 5.5% of the world reserves of coal, which is more than 200 billion tonnes concentrated in Russia. This difference with the percentage of coal proved reserves in 2006 due to the fact that most of the development is not suitable, since it is in Siberia in permafrost.

Ulyanovskaya mine near Novokuznetsk, March 20, 2007.