Australia is a major hub for coal mining where coal is mined in every state and territory of the country. The coal is basically used to generate electricity and is exported. The major amount of coal (75%) that is mined in Australia is exported to eastern Asia.
According to the 2000/01 census, the total amount of coal mined was 258.5 million tonnes and the amount that was exported was 193.6 million tonnes. A major Australi’s electricity production (85%) is provided by Coal. According to the 2008/09 census, the total amount of coal mined was 820 million tonnes and the amount that was exported was 261 million tonnes. Australia is the leading coal exporter in the world. Due to the ill effects of burning of the imported and exported coal which leads to climate change, global warming, sea level rise and the effects of global warming on Australia, coal mining is controversial in Australia.
According to the 2004 GHG inventory, 42.1% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions was produced by burning of coal.
Acoording to the draft report of the Garnaut climate change Review, the proposed carbon pollution reduction scheme will reduce the effect of carbon. This will impact the power generation withn Australia (Latrobe Valley in Victoria), most heavily on the usage of brown coal. Both High quality black coal and lower quality brown coal are mined in Australia. Black Coal that is used for both domestic power generation and for exporting overseas is found in Queensland and New South Wales. Before transporting the coal by rail to power stations or to shipping terminals. it is mined underground.
Once Black Coal was also exported for power generation and industrial boilers to other Australian states. Brown Coal produces higher amount of ash and water content and is found in Victoria and South Australia. To utilize the brown coal reserves of the Latrobe Valley, a German power station and briquette technology was adopted by Victoria.
At present the baseland power generation is met by three open cut brown coal mines in Victoria. The various risks that could affect the private or public property or valuable landscape is a great source of concern for the Australian community. After mining it is ensured that the rehabilitation of the mining areas should meet agreed and appropriate standards. The principal fossil fuel in Australia which is used in power generation is Coal. It serves the same purpose for many other countries also. In Australia,a major topic of discussion is the links between coal mining, coal burning and climate change.