The Energy Loop: Huntington/Eccles Canyons Scenic Byway
Skyline Mine, UT

As travelers drive through Eccles Canyon and its mountain streams and mature forests, they will come upon the Skyline Mine, an example of a new mining technology called "longwall mining." The mine was set up in such a way that there would be the least amount of environmental disturbance with the removal of the coal. The entire complex is only there temporarily until the coal supply is exhausted at which point it will be taken down and the forest will reclaim this area. When the mine was planned, careful note was taken of the natural qualities of the area and the topsoil was even stockpiled for future reuse. The mine also includes a long conveyor belt that parallels the road for a time. The design of this belt allows coal to be transported without coating local vegetation with coal dust. The mine conveyor system stretches along the side of the road and visitors will actually drive under a section of it.