Chris Smith heads 280m underground at Airly Coal Mine 

Mining is responsible for nearly everything in our modern lives. Electricity in your house, the batteries in your phone and the steel in your car all is produced using Australian Thermal and Metallurgical coal ⛏⛏

I've worked underground before and let me tell you, it takes a unique sort of person to want to work down there long term.....

Mining obviously is the backbone of rural Australia, it's a way of life to support families and communities, great people and hard work ethic

I worked in coal in Britain, as did my dad and uncle. Our deep mines are closed now. I enjoyed the work although I must admit I wouldn't go back now I have a new career. In the long term I am sure the world will move on from coal, but it can't happen overnight. I think coal will have a place for some time to come, and we should try to use it as efficiently as possible. What I hope Australia doesn't do is just throw the Coalfield communities on the scrapheap when they finally do move on. Britain handled the rundown of coal dreadfully.

Start utilising it properly for Australians not selling it all

Loved this report, greetings from Ireland!

Well done Chris. Hats off to you for going where few of us even think about. It’s far too easy to take for granted the job those brave coal miners do. The latte sipping left rely on coal to power their MacBooks and mobile phones yet are so ungrateful for what it provides us and the effort needed to mine it. Clean coal technology is crucial to our economic future. You deserve a journalism award for bringing it to life into the lounge rooms of the community.

Clean Coal is nature's answer to Snowflakes ❄

Coal is responsible for our modern lifestyle. Thank you coal. A, gift from heaven.

Thanks for this Chris, we need more on-the-ground reporting like this in future, also god bless our miners and godspeed to them all.

Great story.

Thank you Chris Smith. We need more of these programs to counter the green left rantings and non scientific pontificating.

Love matching fluoro gloves and hard hat

THANK YOU. Finally some actual journalists out in the field.

1 year on and only 9400 views. People really don't like to hear about the truth. Better leave it burried along with our heads in the sand.

We have the best coal in Australia.👍

Fascinating, thanks.

Dude ain't wrong

Good work.

Great stuff Chris!!