Bilina coal mine
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Bilina coal mine also known as Doly Bílina in the Czech Republic, which is operated by the coal mining company Severoceske doly a.s., produced approximately 9.7 million tonnes of coal in 2008. The USGS stated that the company expected the Bilina Mine "would not end operations until between 2035 and 2037, although the mine life could be extended if mining restrictions are altered further."[1]
Contents
Location
The satellite photo below shows the approximate location of the Bilina coal mine, located near the Bílina city, in the Teplice District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic[2]
Background
According to Wikipedia, the town of Bilina "is dominated by two features: the steep hill Bořeň 1 km south (from a certain point of view it resembles a lying lion) and the close proximity of the giant brown coal mine Bílina which seriously changed and damaged the surrounding landscape."
According to the company site:
- 'Extracted coal from Bílina Mines, depending on quality, is treated by sorting, crushing and separation at Ledvice Coal Processing Plant, to be ready for sale as coal products, graded pulverized coal and fuel mixes, intended for a wide range of customers in industry, power and heat generation, and communal consumption. Overburden mining is performed by the TC3 technological unit, consisting of the giant K10 000 bucket-wheel excavator, 2200 mm wide belt conveyors and the ZP10 000 spreader, a further technological unit, TC2 is formed by bucket-wheel excavators KU 800, K 2000 and KK 1300, overland belt conveyors with belt widths from 1800 mm to 2000 mm and ZPD 8000, ZP 5500, ZP 6600 and ZPDH 6300 spreaders. For the extraction of overburden above the coal seam top, and for coal mining, excavators KU 300S and K 650 are deployed as unit TC1. Coal extracted from the opencast mine is transported to the processing plant by long-distance conveyors, with belt widths 1200 mm and 1600 mm. Excavated overburden is transported by an overland conveyor with belt width 1600 mm to the internal dump to the spreaders ZP 2500 and ZP 3500. Coal products are prepared in accordance with the quality requirements of customers to the extent specified in the Coal Catalogue. Expedition of coal is provided for a wide range of customers by belt conveyors, rail and road transportation."[3]
According to the parent company of the Mine owner's 2018 Annual report:
- "Severočeské doly focuses primarily on extraction, treatment, and deliveries of brown coal. In 2018, the company maintained its
position as the largest Czech company extracting brown coal in terms of produced volume. Since a majority of its production is intended for consumption within CEZ Group, Severočeské doly is one of the smaller players in the free coal market. Coal is extracted in the Nástup Tušimice Mines and Bílina Mine.
- The Bílina Mine, operating in the Teplice-Bílina area, extracts coal with a high calorific value and low content of harmful substances. It
ensures supplies of thermal coal primarily to the power plants in Ledvice, Mělník, Poříčí, and Počerady and to the Trmice heating plant. Its 2018 production was 9.4 million tons of coal. This required removing 57.7 million cubic meters of overburden. An important item in the company’s portfolio is the Bílina sorted coal, of which it supplied 2.0 million tons"[4]
Proposed Expansion
According to Radio Prague Internation in January 2017:[2]
- 'Following the unique lifting of limits on brown coal mining by the government in Bílina, North Bohemia, the Bílina Mine has formally set the ball rolling to be allowed to mine more than 150 million tons of coal still in the ground. Once approved, heavy machinery will move within half a kilometre of nearby villages. Before miners can remove a single lump of coal, however, further steps will have to be taken."
Citizen groups opposed the expansion.[5]
Project Details
- Owner: Severočeské doly (SD Group)[2][3]
- Parent company: CEZ Group[4]
- Location: Near the Bílina city, in the Teplice District in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic[2]
- GPS coordinates:50.569659, 13.710986[2]
- Mine status: Operating[2]
- Mineable reserves: 155 million ton[6]
- Coal type: bituminous[7]
- Mine size: 44 square kilometers[7]
- Mine type: Surface[8]
- Production: 9.7 million tonnes per annum[1]
- Additional proposed production: expected to expand to mine reserves od 150 million tons[2]
- Equipment: "13 bucket‑wheel excavators, 90 m overland belt conveyor transport, 8 spreaders and 2 stackers/reclaimers"[7]
- Number of employees:1,441[7]
Articles and resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mark Brininstool, "The Mineral Industry of the Czech Republic", U.S. Geological Survey, March 2010.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Jan Velinger BÍLINA MINE PREPARES FOR EXPANSION OF COALMINING AREA IN NORTHERN BOHEMIA Radio Prague International, Jan 16, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 SD The Bílina Mines (Doly Bílina) accessed Nov. 22, 2019
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 R 2018 cez group Annual report, 2018
- ↑ [https://www.denik.cz/ekonomika/severoceske-doly-chteji-dalsi-tezbu-uhli-20181217.html Severočeské doly wants further coal mining. People from Bílina cancel their journey to the mountains Zdroj] Denik.cz, Dec. 17, 2018
- ↑ SD Group Geology organizational website, accessed Nov 21 2019
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 [https://www.sdas.cz/images/369916250_brozura-sd-facts-and-figures_2015_web.pdf SEVEROČESKÉ DOLY FACTS AND FIGURES] 2015
- ↑ martin_offroadsafari.cz KU800 na Biline. Tipnes kolik metru ji zbyva do 🗼Petrinske rozhledny? Socha Svobody🗽bez podstavce je mensi... #ku800 #excavator #uhli #mesicnikrajina #zadalsihorizont #nasachte #coal #opencastmining #industrial #industrialheritage #offroadsafaricz Instagram post, April 2018
