Visiting the coke ovens and actually standing inside of them was very interesting. The glaze that covered the brick on the inside evidence of the intense heat needed to "burn" the coal and the small hole the only opening depriving the process of oxygen so that the coke or compressed coal would form--quite ingenious. I wonder if the beehive coke oven was the only shape used in this process or just the most efficent?????
Testing the waters of the yellow river was also very enlightening. Our group tested the water discolored by the bacteria that changes the pyrite present in this coal mining area to an acid and found the water to be much more acidic than the water in the main stream which lacked the brownish color and thus lacked the bacteria in such great quantities. It is so hard to believe that this beautifully moving water that should be teaming with life is barren of the trout and other fish that would normally frequent a stream that moves like this. It seems like such a waste even though it did appear beautiful.
I can tell you that the beehive shape is all we see on the trip. It would be interesting to know why that shape was so popular... That sounds like a steve question.
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