contour strip mining

Contour strip mining is a method used in coal mining for hilly terrain. It involves removing the overburden above a coal seam that outcrops on a hillside. A bench is created around the hill, and the excavated material is either moved down the mountain or replaced on the working bench. If economically viable, further cuts are made into the hillside. This technique is often combined with auger mining, where auger holes are drilled from the last contour cut to extract remaining coal. Reclamation of the land is a standard part of modern strip-mining operations.123