Timeline for Why wouldn't a human colony that lost its technology mine for metals or use electricity?

Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0

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Jan 29, 2018 at 16:45	history	edited	Thriggle	CC BY-SA 3.0	deleted 3 characters in body
Jun 8, 2017 at 19:35	comment	added	Thriggle		Thanks for the thoughtful question! As a timely coincidence, the newly opened Acosta deep coal mine in Pennsylvania is specifically unearthing metallurgical coal, underscoring that even though modern technology has provided alternative power sources that make coal obsolete for electricity, coal and petroleum-derived coke is still an integral component necessary for modern metal working.
Jun 8, 2017 at 19:19	comment	added	P...		I'm going to go ahead and accept this answer, since the links for further research and the basic idea were both very helpful for my specific case, but all the answers I've gotten have been pretty excellent.
Jun 8, 2017 at 19:18	vote	accept	P...
Jun 5, 2017 at 16:33	comment	added	Thriggle		The only thing I struggle with is how glass-making could proceed as usual. Fusing glass from sand requires some fantastic temperatures that you can't obtain by merely burning wood. I could see some enterprising colonists attempting to build giant mirrors out of hammered copper in order to focus solar rays for heating; the Odeillo solar furnace can easily reach the temperatures required for glassmaking. But such an approach might be too unreliable, impractical, or dangerous for most major industries.
Jun 2, 2017 at 17:36	comment	added	P...		This is an excellent answer! Maximal effect with minimal change! As it happens, the lack of coal/oil exactly fits in with my plans for the planet (as it needs to be fairly young, no time for mass extinctions etc.) and the links are a great starting point for more detailed research.
Jun 2, 2017 at 13:59	history	answered	Thriggle	CC BY-SA 3.0