Coalmine pithead silhouetted at dusk, South Wales, United Kingdom, Europe

Haig Pit old coal mine in Whitehaven, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Halde Rungenberg, pithead stocks, with 'Nachtzeichen' light sculpture, Autobahn 2, motorway, Gelsenkirchen, Ruhr Area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe

The Patriot Coal Corporation's Samples mine, which uses the technique of mountaintop removal to mine coal. The mountain tops are stripped away and dumped in valleys to get at the coal below. The Samples mine has been temporarily closed due to declining de

Aerial view, Tetraederhalde pithead stocks, Gewerbepark Arenberg industrial park, Bottrop, Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe

Aerial view, greened pithead stocks, Bergkamen, Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe

Aerial view, Prosper III, a former coal mine, Heinrich-Gutemuth-Strasse housing area, pithead stocks, Bottrop, Ruhr area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Europe

Former pithead frame of a graphite mine in Haagwies, Bavarian Forest, Lower Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Killhope Lead Mining Museum; Upper Weardale, County Durham, England