Coal fires burning around the world: a global catastrophe

摘要

Coal seams and waste piles are burning around the world. Although prehistoric coal fires reveal that such fires can occur naturally, coal mining has facilitated the proliferation of these fires, resulting in a global catastrophe characterized by the emission of enormous quantities of noxious gases and partic-ulate matter into the atmosphere, perilous land subsidence, and condensation products responsible for water and soil pollution. Coal fires are responsible for human disease and fatalities. They have displaced entire communities, turning cities into "ghost towns," and they have destroyed floral and faunal habitats.