High in the mountains of Campbell county Tennessee, National Coal Company works around the clock carving out a seam of coal only forty inches high between layers of solid rock. Each of the three daily shifts lasts eight hours and during which the miners travel over a mile into the side of the mountain to work. Most of the men come from families who have been involved in coal mining in the area for several generations. There are many fathers, sons, brothers, and uncles all working together....
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High in the mountains of Campbell county Tennessee, National Coal Company works around the clock carving out a seam of coal only forty inches high between layers of solid rock. Each of the three daily shifts lasts eight hours and during which the miners travel over a mile into the side of the mountain to work. Most of the men come from families who have been involved in coal mining in the area for several generations. There are many fathers, sons, brothers, and uncles all working together. Unlike Strip mining , which is easier and requires less labor the underground mines produce a coal with a higher BTU. This rich fuel is combined with other types of coal and is necessary for the operation of power plants around the nation. Mine #11 sells most of its coal to Kentucky and Georgia power utilities.
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