scholarly journals Securing accumulation by restoration – Exploring spectacular corporate conservation, coal mining and biodiversity compensation in the German Rhineland

2020 ◽  
pp. 251484862092459
Author(s):  
Andrea Brock
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mining ◽  
Coal Mine ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Repair Work ◽  
Biodiversity Offsets ◽  
New Business ◽  
Corporate Ability ◽  
Lignite Coal ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Corporate Partnerships

German energy giant and coal mine operator RWE makes two products: cheap electricity and ‘pretty new landscapes’. These ‘pretty new landscapes’ are biodiversity offsets to compensate for the destruction of the ancient Hambacher Forest for the world’s largest opencast lignite coal mine in the German Rhineland. Drawing on in-depth fieldwork including participant observation and interviews in and around the mine and its offset sites, this paper explores the relationship between coal mining, spectacularisation of conservation, the ecotourism–extraction nexus and accumulation by restoration. I illustrate the historic and contemporary importance of restoration activities to the accumulation process and explore the recent engagement of mine operator RWE in the provision of restored nature (in the form of ‘eco-points’), which constitute new business opportunities. The significance of RWE’s biodiversity work for accumulation by restoration lies not only in its profit opportunities but its productive power: the legitimation of coal mining and the making of new, ordered ‘ecologies of repair’. This productive power operates through the mobilising function of RWE’s offsetting work, which forms the foundation for corporate partnerships and alliances with conservation groups and volunteers. These lend legitimacy to RWE’s ‘repair work’ and form the basis for the ecotourism–extraction nexus by turning the mine and its offsets into ‘extractive attractions’ for visitors and ‘nature lovers’. Its power further manifests in the way it captures imaginations through novel imaginaries and narratives of sustainable coal mining, supposedly creating not only a ‘better nature’ but a ‘better future’. Positioning offsetting as social technology of governance, I explore RWE’s spectacular performance of sustainability and the ontological flattening to facilitate claims of commensurability and ‘offsettability’ of nature. These are integral to the ecotourism–extraction nexus and grounded in the belief in the human/corporate ability to recreate nature, a fascination with huge earth-shifting machinery and a commitment to high-modernist ideologies of control.

TOURISM MOBILITY AT THE SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES RIO 2016

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Cabral ◽  
Carolin Lusby ◽  
Ricardo Uvinha
Keyword(s):  
Olympic Games ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Bus Rapid Transit ◽  
Rapid Transit ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Tourist Attractions ◽  
Official Sources ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The City

Sports Tourism as a segment is growing exponentially in Brazil. The sports mega-events that occurred in the period from 2007 to 2016 helped strengthen this sector significantly. This article examined tourism mobility during the Summer Olympic Games Rio 2016, hosted by the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This study expands the understanding of the relationship between tourism and city infrastructure, therefore being relevant to academics, professionals of the area and to the whole society due to its multidisciplinary field. The existence of a relationship between means of transportation and the Olympic regions as well as tourist attractions for a possible legacy was observed. Data were collected from official sources, field research and through participant-observation and semi structured interviews. Data were coded and analyzed. The results indicate that the city was overall successful in its execution of sufficient mobility. New means of transportation were added and others updated. BRT's (Bus Rapid Transit) were the main use of mass transport to Olympic sites. However, a lack of public transport access was observed for the touristic sites.

scholarly journals Directional Hydraulic Fracturing (DHF) of the Roof, as an Element of Rock Burst Prevention in the Light of Underground Observations and Numerical Modelling

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 562
Author(s):  
Marek Jendryś ◽  
Andrzej Hadam ◽  
Mateusz Ćwiękała
Keyword(s):  
Rock Mass ◽  
Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Coal Mining ◽  
Rock Burst ◽  
Coal Mine ◽  
Seismic Activity ◽  
Black Coal ◽  
Directional Hydraulic Fracturing ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Face

The following article analyzes the effectiveness of directional hydraulic fracturing (DHF) as a method of rock burst prevention, used in black coal mining with a longwall system. In order to define changes in seismic activity due to DHF at the “Rydułtowy” Black Coal Mine (Upper Silesia, Poland), observations were made regarding the seismic activity of the rock mass during coal mining with a longwall system using roof layers collapse. The seismic activity was recorded in the area of the longwall itself, where, on a part of the runway, the rock mass was expanded before the face of the wall by interrupting the continuity of the rock layers using DHF. The following article presents measurements in the form of the number and the shock energy in the area of the observed longwall, which took place before and after the use of DHF. The second part of the article unveils the results of numerical modeling using the discrete element method, allowing to track the formation of goafs for the variant that does not take DHF into consideration, as well as with modeled fractures tracing DHF carried out in accordance with the technology used at “Rydułtowy” coal mine.

scholarly journals Intersection of the Religious and the Secular: The Cemetery Festival in Latvia

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 69
Author(s):  
Anita Stasulane
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Religious Tradition ◽  
Soviet Period ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Religious Ritual ◽  
Secular Society ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Ritual Practices ◽  
Research Tools

This article addresses the commemoration of the deceased by examining a peculiar Latvian religious tradition—the cemetery festival. Latvian society is moving down the path to secularization. Participation in religious ritual practices could be expected to decrease in a predominately secular society. Nevertheless, the tradition of the cemetery festival practiced in Latvia shows that the relationship between the religious and the secular is much more complex than simply being in opposition to each other. The analysis is based on data obtained by undertaking fieldwork at cemeteries in Latvia. Participant observation and qualitative in-depth interviews were the main research tools used in the fieldwork. Through an analysis of the fieldwork data, this article explains, first, how honoring of the deceased currently takes place in Latvia; second, the factors which have determined the preservation of the cemetery festival tradition despite the forced secularization of the Soviet period and the general secularization encountered today; third, the relationship between religious and secular activities and their transformation at the cemetery festival.

Impacts of Coal Mining on the Aboveground Vegetation and Soil Quality: A Case Study of Qinxin Coal Mine in Shanxi Province, China

2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 219-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guo Donggan ◽  
Bai Zhongke ◽  
Shangguan Tieliang ◽  
Shao Hongbo ◽  
Qiu Wen
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mining ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Coal Mine ◽  
Shanxi Province

Principle of Well-Net Design for Coalbed Methane Exploitation in Coal Mine Area

2014 ◽  
Vol 543-547 ◽  
pp. 3967-3973
Author(s):  
Bao Shan Han
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mining ◽  
Coal Mine ◽  
Coalbed Methane ◽  
Design Theory ◽  
Surface Condition ◽  
Coal Pillar ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
In Situ Stress ◽  
Well Location

There are abundant CBM (Coalbed Methane) in China. These CBM has caused a remarkable problem to the coal-mining in China. In order to improve the structure of Chinese energy and eliminate the risk of coal mine gas, the relevant industries and sections have implemented many explorations in CBM enriched areas. With great achievements, there are many important problems in the actions of CBM exploitation. The disadvantageous interaction of the surface CBM well and the later coal mining has been ignored at all. There are many disadvantages and defects. To solve these problems and eliminate or weaken the disadvantageous, the scientific and reasonable design of surface CBM well location is an important step. With the thinking of surface condition, coal mining plan, the arrangement of coal mine laneway, the direction and scale of the in-situ stress, and thinking more about the negative influence to and of surface CBM well, according to the theories of mining dynamics, mining engineering, mining geomechanics, and the CBM engineering, the design theory of the surface CBM well net can be studied. Finally, the arrangement principle of CBM product well in coal field is presented. The existing or future coal pillar will be a critical location for the surface CBM well location.

Can Government Regulate Safety? The Coal Mine Example

1980 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 745-756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael S. Lewis-Beck ◽  
John R. Alford
Keyword(s):  
Federal Government ◽  
Coal Mining ◽  
Coal Mine ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Interrupted Time Series ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Interrupted Time Series Analysis ◽  
Ample Evidence ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
Mining Safety

With the 1970 passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), federal regulation reached the American workplace. Given the newness of the legislation, any firm conclusion on its effectiveness seems premature. However, there is ample evidence on federal safety regulation of a specific workplace: the coal mine. The federal government has been directly involved in coal mining safety for over 35 years, operating under three major pieces of legislation, enacted in 1941, 1952, and 1969. Opposing opinions regarding the effect of this legislation can be grouped into three categories: radical, reactionary, and reformer. A multiple interrupted time-series analysis indicates that, in fact, the 1941 and 1969 regulations significantly reduced the fatality rate in coal mining. Certain conditions seem related to the effectiveness of this safety legislation: birth order, provisions, enforcement, target population, and goals. The first two conditions would appear to work for the success of the OSHA, the latter three conditions to work against it.

Impacts of Coal Mining on Groundwater Environment in Northwestern Coal Mine Area

2013 ◽  
Vol 448-453 ◽  
pp. 823-829
Author(s):  
Hao Wang
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mining ◽  
Coal Mine ◽  
Water Cycle ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Pumping Test ◽  
Field Investigation ◽  
Groundwater Pumping ◽  
Mine Area ◽  
Groundwater Environment ◽  
Groundwater Flow Field

By conducting field investigation and tests, such as groundwater pumping test and rock mechanics test, and building numerical models to simulate damage of coal mining to aquifers, it was proved that coal mining in some coal mine area caused impacts to groundwater environment, including impact on water cycle, the structure of aquifers, and groundwater flow field, as a result of which some water supply sources in coal mine area become unavailable. In addition, a couple of solutions are presented to mitigate the impacts.

scholarly journals Negotiating Industrial Heritage and Regional Identity in Three Australian Regions

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 44-64
Author(s):  
Erik Eklund
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mining ◽  
Steel Production ◽  
Regional Identity ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Industrial Heritage ◽  
Production Region ◽  
Postindustrial City ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Town

This article investigates the relationship between industrial heritage and regional identity during deindustrialization in three Australian regions. Newcastle, in the state of New South Wales (NSW), was a coal-mining and steel-production center located north of Sydney. Wollongong, also in NSW, was a coal-mining and steel-production region centered around Port Kembla, near the town of Wollongong. The Latrobe Valley was a brown coal-mining and electricity-production center east of Melbourne. All regions display a limited profile for industrial heritage within their formal policies and representations. In Newcastle and Wollongong, the adoption of the language of the postindustrial city has limited acknowledgement of the industrial past, while the Latrobe Valley’s industrial heritage is increasingly framed by concerns over current economic challenges and climate change.

scholarly journals Methane Content Estimation in DuongHuy Coal Mine

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 01005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Van Thinh Nguyen ◽  
Waldemar Mijał ◽  
Vu Chi Dang ◽  
Thi Tuyet Mai Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Coal Mining ◽  
Coal Mine ◽  
Coal Mines ◽  
Methane Content ◽  
Underground Coal Mining ◽  
Coal Seams ◽  
Underground Coal Mine ◽  
Different Depths ◽  
Quang Ninh

Methane hazard has always been considered for underground coal mining as it can lead to methane explosion. In Quang Ninh province, several coal mines such as Mạo Khe coal mine, Khe Cham coal mine, especially Duong Huy mine that have high methane content. Experimental data to examine contents of methane bearing coal seams at different depths are not similar in Duong coal mine. In order to ensure safety, this report has been undertaken to determine a pattern of changing methane contents of coal seams at different exploitation depths in Duong Huy underground coal mine.

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