bal Coal mining has significant environmental impacts. As it usually requires the removall of massive amounts of top soil, it can lead to erosion, pollution (through dust fall-out of particulate matter) and loss of habitat. The use of coal is also problematic, because burning coal emits carcinogencic and toxic substances to land, air and water. Coal is also a solid fossil fuel, but it is the dirtiest of all, being the single largest source of global temperature rise.