There are different aspects in this, some which come to mind: * Coal is the main local energy source. Other sources have to be imported. Having coal mining giv

There are different aspects in this, some which come to mind: * Coal is the main local energy source. Other sources have to be imported. Having coal mining gives some degree of independence from Arab Oil, Russian gas and Nigerian Uranium. * By subsadies over some time the economic change can be controlled to see degree instead of setting free about half a million mine workers, of which many had low qualifications, and a bunch of people in dependent industries free at once. The Ruhr area was fully dependent on coal mines as reason for the area's growth and hand hardly any non-coal related industry.