Introduction

Japan: A lot of people, very little space

World Demand for Steel

Uses for Steel

Japan After World War II

Japan and the Steel Industry Today

Japan and British Columbia’s Coal

Who needs coal?
Coal mines in British Columbia and around the world make up a very important part of our lives. They provide us with coal. Coal is a raw material needed to make many products that are used in countries all over the world. Products made with coal are used in areas like construction, computer technology, energy production, transportation, medicine, communications and even space exploration. ^1,2

Coal allows us to have a better way of life. Let’s stop to imagine what life would be like without coal and coal products.

One of our basic building blocks today is steel. To make steel we use coal and iron ore. Imagine a life without steel. Cars, airplanes and boats are made with steel. How would we travel without them? How would we search the web or type out homework if we didn’t have computers? No more electronic equipment, skyscrapers or kitchen utensils and appliances.

What about energy? Most thermal coal is used for energy. This energy gives us the power that we need to turn on our lights and heat our houses. It would be a cold, dark life without coal wouldn’t it?

This mineral provides us with thousands of products that we use everyday. So who needs coal? You need it, we all need it!

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