Most of the electricity we use in the world today is made by using steam to turn the turbine , and much of the steam is produced by burning coal. Underground coal mines are very dangerous and unhealthy for the miners.
Some coal lies near the earth's surface, and can be gathered off in strips.
It is difficult and expensive to return this land to a natural state. Most of British Columbia's coal is sent to Japan and the United States to be used in making steel . Coal is one of the least expensive fuels, and has a high energy content. We have enough coal in the world to last for hundreds of years, and it is found in so many countries that no one can control the supply. It can even be processed into liquid and gas fuels that are easier to use than coal, though they are more expensive than oil and natural gas.