According to the World Coal Association, coal powers more than 40 percent of the world's electricity.
A mineral market survey is a key requirement before starting mineral extraction. The main goal of this survey is to gather information about the proposed mineral site, essentially to determine whether there is enough mineral under the earth before beginning to drill. Since extracting minerals from under the earth requires time, capital and labor, mineral surveys are generally carried out to determine whether or not the project will be feasible and cost-effective in the long run.
Instructions
Mineral Market Survey
1. Determine whether you own rights. In many countries the government owns mineral resources such as rocks, minerals, gas or oil. Individuals and organizations in these countries need to obtain government authorization prior to extracting and selling minerals. In the United States, most states have laws that govern mining and drilling activity. These laws vary from state to state. It is essential to understand and abide by the laws governing mining and drilling before conducting a mineral market survey. If you are unsure, consult a lawyer before proceeding further.
2. Determine the location of your property. If you own the applicable rights and believe you have minerals such as coal under your property, you will first need to determine whether your property is on coal-bearing rocks. Consult a geologic map to determine if your county falls in a coal field. If your property is at the border, you may need to consult a more detailed map such as a geologic quadrangle map.
3. Determine the existence of coal beds. The geologic quadrangle maps will indicate whether you have coal beds under your property, but not all coal beds will be mapped. In such cases, it may be wise to use boreholes that may provide further information. Boreholes are essentially holes drilled underground to determine the site's geological information.
4. Calculate coal results for every coal bed. It may be wise to hire a registered mining engineer or a registered geologist to intervene during this step. Determine the thickness of the coal. Consult a database such the Kentucky Geological Survey Coal Thickness Data Base or obtain data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Alternatively, a hole can be drilled in the ground to determine thickness.
5. Measure the area of each thickness class. After finding out the thickness of the coal, usually a map highlighting coal thickness trends is made for the target bed. Measure the area of the thickness class. This is called planimetry. There are two ways to carry out planimetry, one by a device called a planimeter and the other by a specialized computer software.
6. Calculate the tons of coal on your property. A number called a reserve gross estimate is calculated. This is a volume calculation which is derived from a conversion factor for coal, 1,800 tons for each acre for each foot of coal. To find out the coal on your property use this formula: Acres x Coal thickness x 1,800 tons/acre-foot = Tons of coal on your property. For instance, if there are three acres of coal bed under your property and the thickness of the coal bed is 5.7 feet, use the following mathematical equation to determine the tons of coal underneath your property: 3 x 5.7 x 1800 = 30, 780 tons of coal.
Tags: your property, coal beds, coal your, coal your property, thickness coal
