Page 3 | To be sad and angry at the coalmine decision

DuncinToffee · 08/12/2022 09:04

inews.co.uk/opinion/michael-goves-approval-of-a-new-coal-mine-is-a-backwards-step-for-our-climate-and-steel-industry-2014441

There are only two potential customers for this coal in the UK: Tata Steel and British Steel. Yet Chris McDonald, chief executive of the Materials Processing Institute, said earlier this year: “British Steel have said they cannot use the coal from this mine because the sulphur levels are too high. Tata Steel have said if the coal were available, then they may or may not use a small amount. There isn’t anyone in the steel industry who’s calling for the mine.”

MintyFreshOne · 08/12/2022 09:04

Summerfun54321 · 08/12/2022 09:00

It’s not good enough. Like the way the government has fucked up the NHS. We shouldn’t stand for this level short term stupid thinking. We need a new government.

It’s not short-term thinking to sell a useful product that lots of countries still use in a variety of applications

Hobbi · 08/12/2022 09:07

'The vast majority of the coal produced will be for export, as most UK steel producers have rejected the use of the coal, which is high in sulphur and surplus to their needs.'

CryingAtTheDiscotheque · 08/12/2022 09:07

Why do people think the coal is destined for power stations or steel production in the UK? It isn't. Current estimate: 85% to be exported.

Hobbi · 08/12/2022 09:07

Sorry the above is for @Willmafrockfit

MintyFreshOne · 08/12/2022 09:08

Onnabugeisha · 08/12/2022 08:54

@Georgeskitchen
Fracking is the most expensive way to drill for natural gas, it’s far from cheap. And that’s not even counting the trillions of litres of polluted radioactive wastewater it produces and then has to be disposed of. Or the costs of remediating the inevitable leaks of the radioactive wastewater into the local ground water and streams and tackling environmental devastation to both plants and animals (and humans).

If it is so expensive to extract then why does the UK ban it?

RudsyFarmer · 08/12/2022 09:08

Everything has changed. Net zero is dead in the water unfortunately until some energy breakthrough appears.

Hobbi · 08/12/2022 09:09

CryingAtTheDiscotheque · 08/12/2022 09:07

Why do people think the coal is destined for power stations or steel production in the UK? It isn't. Current estimate: 85% to be exported.

Because they know very few people read beyond the headlines and, after doing so, retreat behind party lines having had 'enough of experts'.

SamphiretheTervosaurReturneth · 08/12/2022 09:11

SinnerBoy · 08/12/2022 08:22

Pythonese · Today 07:40

How are you going to make steel without coal ?

Hydrogen reduction is being used increasingly and it's much cleaner. The coking process is absolutely filthy and causes huge pollution, with oils and tars etc, not just carbon dioxide.

I'm from a coal mining area and mourned the loss of it, in the 80s and 90s, but see that it's probably better left in the ground.

A Putsch? WTF have I missed?

Googling...

Onnabugeisha · 08/12/2022 09:11

DuncinToffee · 08/12/2022 09:04

inews.co.uk/opinion/michael-goves-approval-of-a-new-coal-mine-is-a-backwards-step-for-our-climate-and-steel-industry-2014441

There are only two potential customers for this coal in the UK: Tata Steel and British Steel. Yet Chris McDonald, chief executive of the Materials Processing Institute, said earlier this year: “British Steel have said they cannot use the coal from this mine because the sulphur levels are too high. Tata Steel have said if the coal were available, then they may or may not use a small amount. There isn’t anyone in the steel industry who’s calling for the mine.”

Well it’s not true there are only two potential customers for the coal.
We have dozens of fertiliser manufacturers and they need coal to produce the nitrogen for fertiliser.
We also have hundreds of pharma manufacturers and coal is used by them as well.

Theres more uses for coal than above, those are just two obvious ones that come to mind other than lighting coal on fire.

thingumybob · 08/12/2022 09:11

It is not for the UK steel industry.

"But the two companies that still make steel using coal in the UK - British Steel and Tata - say they plan to move to lower carbon production methods.
Steel industry expert Chris McDonald estimates that, at best, they will use less than 10% of the output of the mine and, by the mid-2030s, none at all.
That means the new mine will export virtually all the coal it produces."

"The government's advisory Climate Change Committee (UKCCC) pointed out that 85% of the coal produced by the mine would be exported."

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63892381

thingumybob · 08/12/2022 09:13

SlagathaChristie · 08/12/2022 07:37

Great for job creation, sorely needed in that area. Net Zero is a noble but upper-middle class game, doesn't do much for job creation.

Who do you think is likely to be the most affected by climate change? Somehow I don't think it will be the wealthy.

thingumybob · 08/12/2022 09:15

PortiasBiscuit · 08/12/2022 07:33

People need fuel.. can’t rely on Russia anymore. It does feel retrogressive but none of these issues are simple.

Coal is a tiny proportion of our energy. Far more is produced by wind. Why not invest more in that?

www.energydashboard.co.uk/live

ginghamstarfish · 08/12/2022 09:21

I live near the area in question. Jobs are in short supply and that area needs industry. Coal has to come from somewhere, for all the reasons given above. Locals seem to be mostly in favour.

thelobsterquadrille · 08/12/2022 09:25

I'm local too and it's a very popular move with the people I know.

starfro · 08/12/2022 09:36

Renewable and green technologies still rely on massive amounts of unclean resources to build them.

All the steel required for solar farms and wind turbines has to come from somewhere.

Alaimo · 08/12/2022 09:51

Onnabugeisha · 08/12/2022 09:11

Well it’s not true there are only two potential customers for the coal.
We have dozens of fertiliser manufacturers and they need coal to produce the nitrogen for fertiliser.
We also have hundreds of pharma manufacturers and coal is used by them as well.

Theres more uses for coal than above, those are just two obvious ones that come to mind other than lighting coal on fire.

Show quote history

Fertilizer and pharmaceutical industries primarily use the byproduct produced from the coal coking process in the steel industry. If British steel manufacturers say it's unlikely they'll be using the coal from this mine, then these industries aren't suddenly going to step in and build their own coking ovens.

TheVanguardSix · 08/12/2022 09:59

lightand · 08/12/2022 07:41

Brilliant.

Assuming it is all straight and above board and a good financial decision.

I’m sorry. Could you repeat that? I couldn’t hear you over the thundering chorus of Tory laughter led by the Conductor of Assclowns, Michael Gove.

Onnabugeisha · 08/12/2022 10:04

Alaimo · 08/12/2022 09:51

Fertilizer and pharmaceutical industries primarily use the byproduct produced from the coal coking process in the steel industry. If British steel manufacturers say it's unlikely they'll be using the coal from this mine, then these industries aren't suddenly going to step in and build their own coking ovens.

Show quote history

Er, no they don’t need their coal coked to use it. Coal coking is a completely different process to coal gasification.

cakeorwine · 08/12/2022 19:29

starfro · 08/12/2022 09:36

Renewable and green technologies still rely on massive amounts of unclean resources to build them.

All the steel required for solar farms and wind turbines has to come from somewhere.

That's the irony, isn't it.

walkinginsunshinekat · 08/12/2022 19:36

SlagathaChristie · 08/12/2022 07:37

Great for job creation, sorely needed in that area. Net Zero is a noble but upper-middle class game, doesn't do much for job creation.

You could do some solar wind renewable scheme that would help net zero, avoid this decision and create far more longer term jobs.

As for jobs, how many locals or even UK workers do you think will know anything about mining coal?
They 'll be bringing in foreign to do contractors to do the work.

Climate change wont affect the wealthy, they'll find ways round it, it'll be us lot that get hit by these weather changes.

MissyB1 · 08/12/2022 19:43

Ringmaster27 · 08/12/2022 08:18

I feel like I went to bed last night, travelled throughout a time warp and woke up in 1922 😳
Coal mine opened, a Putsch in Germany….what next?! 😬

What next? Workhouses I expect 🙁

MintyFreshOne · 09/12/2022 13:42

walkinginsunshinekat · 08/12/2022 19:36

You could do some solar wind renewable scheme that would help net zero, avoid this decision and create far more longer term jobs.

As for jobs, how many locals or even UK workers do you think will know anything about mining coal?
They 'll be bringing in foreign to do contractors to do the work.

Climate change wont affect the wealthy, they'll find ways round it, it'll be us lot that get hit by these weather changes.

Show quote history

You’ll actually be way more susceptible to climate change if you don’t have a reliable source of energy.

But this coal isn’t going to generate power as I understand it but will have industrial application.

Well, don’t forget even solar panels need coal to be built and it’s an incredibly polluting industry (well, at least it is in China, where most panels are built)