Opencast Mining of Coal in France.

The opencast mining method consists in removing the overburden situated above a coal deposit in order to exploit this deposit by the open-pit mining method. The author briefly examines the history of open cast mining of coal in France, and then describes the French coal deposits workable by this method. Proved reserves of these deposits, total 12 million tons, whereas possible reserves are estimated at 8 million tons. Technical details are given on the open cast mining method with particular reference to the type of machinery used, transport, land reclamation and minig costs.