Coal dust near the Great Barrier Reef worries scientists and environmentalists

Scientists and environmentalists recently discovered coal dust near Australia's Great Barrier Reef, prompting an investigation into the nearby port of Hay Point, which supplies tens of millions of tons of coal annually to global markets.

The leak is believed to have occurred in early February, causing black coal dust to emerge along the coast of Australia in close proximity to a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The media released a photo of a baby turtle next to a lump of coal at East Point Beach in Mackay, Queensland.

Although the country's Environment Minister Stephen Miles said such leaks are sporadic and could be easily avoided in the future, scientists and environmentalists argue that coal can destroy corals and harm marine life.

This is not the first time coal dust has entered the Australian coastline. The country's Department of Environment and Heritage has been studying potential coal and coal dust leaks since last year.

Scientists at the Australian Research Council's Center for Coral Reef Excellence at James Cook University have found that the Great Barrier Reef has suffered the largest amount of extinction on record in the past two years, with an average of 67% of corals declared dead in one area.

Last year, the federal and Queensland state governments approved a number of coal ports close to the reef, including the expansion of the Abbot Point coal terminal, which will serve the Adani coal mine, the largest in the country.