Facing coal: changing conceptions of South African coal-based pollution, with special reference to the Witbank coalfield, 1906-1978

Facing coal provides an environmental history of changing ideas around South African coal-based pollution, focusing on Witbank, where the scars of mining are etched deep into the land. The essence of this book is its link between local and global repercussions of past and present reliance on fossil fuel consumption. The historical approach seeks to demonstrate the way in which long-term environmental effects of coal have manifested, and reveals how, in spite of how much is now known about coal-based pollution, our understanding remains fraught with misrepresentation and prevarication. This work, therefore, attempts to open up the enigma surrounding the environmental impact of coal mining in South Africa.

http://www.asclibrary.nl/docs/329/709/329709593.pdf