A brief history of coal mining
Did you know that Taronga Park Zoo was the site of a proposed coal mine? Or that coal was first mined in Ipswich in 1825. This from Geoscience Australia.
The earliest recognized use of coal is from the Shenyang area of China around 4000 BC where black lignite was carved into ornaments. Coal from the Fushun mine in north-eastern China was used to smelt copper as early as 1000 BC.
Marco Polo, the Italian who travelled to China in the 13th century, described coal as "black stones ... which burn like logs", and said coal was so plentiful, people could. . .
You are unauthorized to view this page.