What environmental problems can be caused by auger mining?

Auger mining, a method often used in conjunction with contour strip mining to recover coal from exposed seams, presents several significant environmental challenges.

The primary environmental problems associated with this technique include:

• Subsidence: The removal of coal and the creation of large, deep holes can lead to the sinking or settling of the ground surface above the mined area.1
• Water Pollution: The process can disrupt local hydrology, potentially leading to the contamination of water sources.1
• Potential Fires: Auger mining operations carry the risk of igniting coal seams, which can result in difficult-to-extinguish underground fires.1

These issues arise because the method involves boring deep into coal seams—sometimes exceeding 60 to 100 metres—while leaving behind webs of coal to support the overburden (the overlying rock). Because the structural integrity of the remaining strata must be maintained to prevent collapse, coal recovery is often limited, and the resulting voids can destabilize the surrounding environment.21