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Thirst For Coal

Aerial view of Massey Energy's sprawling Edwight mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mine operation near Marsh Fork, WV.

Aerial view of Massey Energy's sprawling Edwight mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mine operation near Marsh Fork, WV.

Highly controversial these days, mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mining essentially involves blasting off the top of a mountain and dumping the "overburden" into the valley next door to get access to the thin coal seams below.

Aerial view of Massey Energy's sprawling Edwight mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mine operation near Marsh Fork, WV. Aerial view of Massey Energy's Kayford Mountain mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mine operation near Kayford, WV Aerial view of the massive footprint of Consol's Fola surface (MTR) mine near Summersville, WV Aerial view of the systematic loss of mountains at Consol's Fola minewest of Summersville, WV Aerial view of Massey Energy's sprawling Edwight mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mine operation near Marsh Fork, WV. Aerial view of a TerexSHM highwall mining machine at work on Powellton Mountain near Fayetteville, WV. Aerial view of a massive valley fill at the mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mine at Kayford Mountain near Ameagle, WV Aerial view of Massey Energy's Kayford Mountain mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mine operation near Kayford, WV. Aerial view of Massey Energy's Kayford Mountain mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mine operation near Kayford, WV. Close-up aerial view of the highly mechanized aspect of today's coal mine at Massey Energy's Kayford Mountain mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mine operation near Kayford, WV. Aerial view of the Shumate Impoundment, a coal slurry pond at Massey Energy's Edwight Mountain mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mine operation near Marsh Fork, WV.