Victorian brown coal and the environment

Victorian brown coal is of a relatively higher quality than other brown coal deposits around the world.

Whereas other deposits can have ash yields of more than 10 per cent, and sulphur of up to 2 per cent, Victoria's brown coal deposits have less than 2 per cent ash and less than 0.5 per cent sulphur.
 

As a result, Victoria has not experienced some of the environmental problems that have occurred elsewhere, such as acid rain (which can occur as a result of burning brown coal with high sulphur levels).
 

The primary method of mining Victoria's coal deposits is open-cut, meaning that the mines are simply cut straight into the ground, rather than made up of a series of tunnels and shafts. This is the ideal method, because the coal deposits are, on average, around six metres below the surface and 180 metres deep.