Suggested Research Paper Topics for King Coal
Topics must be sufficiently narrow and approved by the instructor. Your intended audience should be an educated layperson.
- Coal or metal mining - Methods
- Air pollution - causes, effects, control
- Coal-fired power plants
- Global CO2 increase/ Global warming
- Environmental regulation
- Mountaintop removal (WV, WY)
- Remining - how can more mining help the environment?
- Present Economics of Coal Mining, Usage
- History of other coal regions: WV, VA, western PA, WY, Others; suggested treatment
- Coal liquification/gassification
- Thorough explanation of an AMD treatment method
- Effect of AMD on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River or other river systems
- Role of bacteria in AMD
- How long will coal last?
- Oil, natural gas, nuclear power, or hydrogen fuel
- Solar, hydro or wind power
- Geothermal energy
- Land reclamation techniques - soils, plants, and recovery of disturbed lands
- Efforts to put out mine fires