1. Fossil Fuels Environmental Implications

2. Fossil Fuels and the Environment  Environmental Consequences of  Extraction: drilling, mining  Transportation: pipelines, rail

3. Fossil Fuels and the Environment  Environmental Consequences of Use:  Atmospheric Effects: –Particulate Matter –Global Warming - CO 2 –Acid Precipitation - SO X

4. Fossil Fuels and the Environment  Environmental Consequences of Use:  Hydrologic Effects –Sediment Loading – Coal spoil –Acid Precipitation - SO X –Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) - SO X

5. Fossil Fuels and the Environment  Environmental Consequences of Use:  Land Effects: –Abandoned strip and subsurface mines –Coal Spoil –Coal Ash –Soil Acidification

6. Fossil Fuels and Acidity

7. Acidity  Fossil fuels form under reducing conditions  Conditions also enable formation of pyrite (fool’s gold)

8. Acidity  Reducing conditions enable formation of pyrite (FeS 2 )  On combustion, pyrite is converted to iron oxide and sulfur oxides (SO x )  SO x + water forms Sulfuric Acid

9. Acid Precipitation  Kills trees  Kills freshwater aquatic life  Increases deterioration of stone and metal structures (buildings, bridges)  Damages crops

10. Coal-generated Electricity

12. Fossil Fuels and the Environment  Environmental Consequences of Use:  Land Effects: –Abandoned strip and subsurface mines –Coal Spoil –Coal Ash –Soil Acidification

13. Active Strip Mine

14. Abandoned Strip Mines

15. Coal Breaker

16. Mine Spoil

17. Sediment Loading and AMD

18. AMD: acid mine drainage

19. AMD and ‘Red Boy’

20. AMD from the Subsurface