Most coal formed during the Carboniferous

• The Carboniferous is actually pretty recent
• Coal required specific biologic conditions
• Coal required specific geochemical conditions
• Coal required specific tectonic condition 

 When coal is mined, its sulfide minerals degrade 

• Pyrite is the  major sulfide in coal
• Mining allows water to infiltrate
• Bacteria speed up the process

When sulfides degrade, they cause "Acid Mine Drainage" (AMD)

• AMD is especially common PA
• AMD can be remediated with limestone to reduce acidity
• Reducing acidity forces metals out of the water
• But limestone degrades over time
• We can harvest these metals for art

Burning fossil fuels has serious consequences for Earth and its climate

• Here are collaborative data art projects that illustrate some of these consequences
• Here are a collection of student data art projects that illustrate some of these consequences

Life continues, even in apparently-barren industrial sites

• DNA analyses inside coal mines and AMD sites show rich microbial life
• Artists can help us re-discover the beauty in these industrial landscapes