How is coal mined and extracted? | Planète Énergies
WEBJan 7, 2015 · First of all, the layer of earth – overburden – above the first coal seam has to be removed. (The seam can be up to 200 meters below the surface.) All the earth around the base of the seam is removed before extraction begins. When the hole is large enough, the miners dig down to the next layer of coal.