Overburden at Lignite Mine

Grefath, Germany

The coal in Garzweiler is covered by about 40-150 meters of earth and clay which is removed by excavators and transported via a conveyor network to the other side of the mine where a spreader distributes it over the already depleted area. Then the coal is extracted and burned at the power stations west of Kˆln. The closest two, 15 and 20 km, release a combined total of 900 kg of mercury per year to the air, as well as a large mix of other toxins. Coal combustion is the world’s largest source of CO2, as well as the largest source of uranium and mercury released into the environment.