Strip mines can be found everywhere from Appalachia to India, across China, and all the way to Australia. They may contain deposits of coal, copper, or gold. Readers will find out what strip mines are and how they are used, and discover some of the pros and cons about the operation of these mines. Full-color photographs and in-depth sidebars highlight some of the destruction that the mining practices cause and how some companies work to reclaim the land after the mines are closed.