Strip mining has been a tremendous environmental problem for many years, and it continues to plague the environments of numerous areas around the world today.
Strip mining is the process of removing the mineral rich upper level of material and leaving the underlying rock. It is incredibly destructive to the environment primarily because it involves taking away the top layer of material, exposing bare
rock and destroying all the vegitation in the area. This in effect can destroy whole ecosystems in vast areas of the world. This type of mining is found in many countries including the United States, Canada, and China.
Strip mining takes place in multiple phases. First, the vegitation at the top of the area is completely removed and destroyed. Then, the soil is removed and taken to another area. After this, small holes are drilled in the bed rock and explosives are inserted into these holes. The resluting explosions will create a mining strip. Big machinery is then brought in to help remove the minerals (usually coal). The soil is then brought back and used to fill in the strip.
Now, this may not seem that destructive. After all, the soil is put back into its original place. But the process still has destroyed the local ecosystems. The transplanted soil that is taken away during strip mining causes the first of many problems. When placed in its temporary relocated site, this soil 
buries other ecosystems, and can block rivers as a result of rain causing the soil to runoff into the river, causing flooding and mass devistation. The lack of vegitation after the soil is put back also leaves a barren dead landscape. This can cause extreme erosion and possible mudslides.
The United States government now requires mining companies to try to recover the land after mining. This means that the company must replant vegitation to try and bring back a functioning ecosystem. Now while this does not always work, it is still movement in the right direction.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_mining
http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00461/stripm.htm
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200506/09/eng20050609_189256.html
