Integrated Lignite Management at RWE Power AG, Germany Integriertes Braunkohlemanagement Der RWE Power AG, Deutschland WERNER KOENIGS, THOMAS KÖRBER, Germany

World of Mining – Surface & Underground 58 (2006) No. 6 Lignite Mining

Integrated lignite management at RWE Power AG, Germany Integriertes Braunkohlemanagement der RWE Power AG, Deutschland WERNER KOENIGS, THOMAS KÖRBER, Germany

1 Rhenish lignite mining area 1 Rheinisches Braunkohlerevier The Lower Rhine Basin, with an original content of around 55 bil- Die niederrheinische Bucht birgt mit ursprünglich rund 55 Mil- lion tons, is the largest single lignite deposit in the world (Figure 1). liarden Tonnen Inhalt die größte zusammenhängende Braun- Here, lignite evolved in several thick seams from former peat kohlelagerstätte der Welt (Abbildung 1). Die Braunkohle ist hier bogs some 18 to 6 million years ago. During and after peat bog in mehreren mächtigen Flözen mit einem Alter von rund 18 bis formation, rivers from the hinterland as well as various thrusts of 6 Millionen Jahren aus ehemaligen Torfmooren entstanden. the North Sea deposited fluviatile and marine sediments, so that Während und nach der Torfmoorbildung lagerten sowohl Flüsse the intercalations and the overburden above the coal consist aus dem Hinterland als auch verschiedene Vorstöße der Nordsee of alternating sandy, silty and clayey sediments (Figure 2). This fluviatile und marine Sedimente ab, so dass die Zwischenmittel explains why the seams in the Rhenish lignite area, deposited at und der Abraum über der Kohle aus wechselnden sandigen, depths of more than 500 metres, are characterized, in evolution- schluffigen und tonigen Sedimenten besteht (Abbildung 2). Die im ary terms, by extreme variations in quality parameters, which play Abbau befindlichen, bis zu einer Teufe von mehr als 500 Metern an important role for their use in power generation and in further abgesunkenen Flöze des Rheinischen Braunkohlereviers weisen processing to make higher-grade dry fuels. daher entstehungsgeschichtlich höchst unterschiedliche Qualitäts- At this deposit, RWE Power AG operates three efficient opencast parameter auf, die für ihre Verwendung in der Stromerzeugung mines whose design and planning ensure average annual output of und Weiterverarbeitung zu höherwertigen Trockenbrennstoffen 100 mill t of lignite in the long term (Figure 3). The Inden opencast eine wichtige Rolle spielen. mine, which embraces the west of the mining area, has an annual Auf dieser Lagerstätte werden drei leistungsstarke Tagebaue der output of approx. 20 to 25 mill t of steam coal in an unvarying RWE Power AG betrieben, deren Auslegung eine langfristige quality, all of which is supplied to the Weisweiler power plant, durchschnittliche Jahresproduktion von 100 Millionen Tonnen which has an installed capacity of 2100 MW. This mine has no Braunkohle gewährleistet (Abbildung 3). Der im Westen des Re- logistic linkup to the other lignite operations in the mining area, viers umgehende Tagebau Inden produziert jährlich rund 20 bis so that, being a stand-alone operation, it is not available for coal- 25 Mio. t Kraftwerkskohle gleichbleibender Qualität und versorgt quality management across the overall mining area. Together, the other two opencast mines Hambach und Garzweiler each supply Maximum extension some 35 to 40 mill t/a of lignite to the base-load power plants of the original North Sea during Frimmersdorf, Neurath, Niederaussem and Gowerk, which have main seam a joint installed capacity of about 8000 MW, and to the factory formation locations Fortuna-Nord, Frechen-Wachtberg and Ville/Berrenrath, which have a total annual output of more than 4 mill t of dry lignite products. The average coal requirements of the consumer Garzweiler mine plants located relatively close to the two opencast mines, totalling 220,000 t/d, are delivered from the two mines mainly using the company’s own heavy-duty railway system. For economic reasons, such extensive mass handling requires – wherever possible Hambach – disruption-free and continuous operation of the transport and Inden mine conveyor facilities. Accordingly, the relatively small coal bunkers, mine with 600,000 to 800,000 t nominal capacity, located at the exits of the opencast mines, are there less to meet storage needs than

Dipl.-Ing. WERNER KOENIGS, Tagebau Garzweiler, Erfstr. 111, 41517 Grevenbroich, Germany Tel. +49 (0) 2181-237-43000, Fax +49 (0) 2181-237-42828 e-mail: werner.koenigs@rwe.com Fig. 1: Lignite reserves of the Lower Rhenish Basin Dipl.-Ing. THOMAS KÖRBER, Abb. 1: Braunkohlelagerstätte Niederrheinische Bucht RWE Power Hauptverwaltung Köln, PBT-T Stüttgenweg 2, 50935 Köln, Germany th Tel +49 (0) 221-480-23546, Fax +49 (0) 221-480-1427 Paper presented on the occasion of 15 International Symposium e-mail: [email protected] on Mine Planning and Mining Machinery (MPES 2006), September 20 to 22, 2006, in Turino, Italy.

345 World of Mining – Surface & Underground 58 (2006) No. 6 Mineral Raw Materials

Iron oxide-apatite deposits of the Bafq district, Central Iran: an overview from geology to mining FARHAD MOHAMMAD TORAB, Iran; BERND LEHMANN, Germany

The Bafq metal province in Central Iran hosts important Kiruna- method. There is a distinctive alteration zoning in the ore sys- type iron oxide-apatite deposits with a total resource of around tems from sodium alteration (albite) at deeper levels to potassic 1.5 Gt iron ore (> 20 % Fe). The apatite content of the deposits (K-feldspar) and then sericitic and actinolite alteration at higher lev- varies between a relatively low-P magnetite ore (Choghart mine; els which can be used as an exploration tool along with geophysi-

216 Mt @ 60 % Fe, 0.92 % P2O5, 0.08 % S) to magnetite-apa- cal prospecting for new blind orebodies. Recent reinterpretation tite ore (Chador-Malu mine; 400 Mt @ 55 % Fe, 2.15 % P2O5, of the geotectonic setting of the magnetite-apatite deposits as of 0.19 % S) to apatite-(magnetite) ore (Esfordi mine; 17 Mt @ Andean-type, provides new exploration potential for the more than

14 % P2O5, 17.2 % Fe). All deposits are mined by the open-pit 1000 km long Kashmar-Kerman Tectonic Zone in Central Iran.

Magnetit-Apatit-Lagerstätten im Bafq-Distrikt, Zentral-Iran – Ein kurzer geologisch-bergbaulicher Überblick Im Bafq-Distrikt in Zentral-Iran treten wichtige Magnetit-Apatit- reicht von Natrium-Metasomatose (Albit) in tieferen Teilen zu Ka- Lagerstätten vom Kiruna-Typ auf (Gesamt-Ressource von rund lium- (Kalifeldspat) und zu Serizit-Aktinolith-Alteration in höheren 1,5 Gt Eisenerz mit > 20 % Fe). Der Apatit-Gehalt in den einzelnen Teilen der Systeme, wodurch die geophysikalischen Methoden Lagerstätten variiert von Magnetit-Erz mit geringem Phosphor- bei der Exploration von verdeckten Lagerstätten ergänzt werden

Gehalt (Choghart: 216 Mt @ 60 % Fe, 0.92 % P2O5, 0.08 % S), können. Die Neu-Interpretation der geotektonischen Situation der zu Magnetit-Apatit-Erz (Chador-Malu: 400 Mt @ 55 % Fe, 2.15 % Magnetit-Apatit-Lagerstätten as von andinem Typ erweitert das

P2O5, 0.19 % S) bis Apatit-(Magnetit)-Erz (Esfordi: 17 Mt @ 14 % Explorationspotential auf die gesamte mehr als 1000 km lange

P2O5, 17.2 % Fe). Alle Lagerstätten werden im Tagebau abgebaut. Kashmar-Kerman Tectonic Zone in Zentral-Iran. Die ausgeprägte Zonierung der hydrothermalen Alterationshöfe

1 Introduction The international iron ore market has recently attracted much at- tention due to strong demand from the steel industries in China and other emerging economies. Mining capacities are extended worldwide, and the Central Iranian Bafq iron ore district is no exception. We here present a review of the geology of this geo- logically relatively little understood ore district and some economic perspectives. The geological reserve of iron ore in Iran is only about 2500 Mt but the bulk ore is of relatively high grade (Table 1). Most of these reserves are located in the Bafq area in central Iran (Figure 1) which was extensively explored during the 1960s and 70s in an Iranian- Russian cooperation project when 34 aeromagnetic anomalies were delineated, of which currently four deposits are mined. The iron ore deposits of the Bafq district have a variable but characteristic apatite content, similar to the iron ore deposits of the Kiruna district in northern Sweden, which is why such ores

FARHAD MOHAMMAD TORAB (M.Sc.) Department of Mining Engineering, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran Present address: Institute of Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Technical University of Clausthal, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany Tel. +49 (0) 5323-72-2878, Fax +49 (0) 5323-72-2511 e-mail: [email protected] Univ.-Prof. Dr.rer.nat. BERND LEHMANN, Institute of Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Technical University of Clausthal, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, Germany Tel. +49 (0) 5323-72-2878, Fax +49 (0) 5323-72-2776 Fig. 1: Structural map of Central Iran and surrounding Mesozoic-Ceno- e-mail: [email protected] zoic foldbelts (Modiﬁed from [3]). The Bafq mining district covers the area between Bafq and Saghand which is detailed in Figure 2.

355 World of Mining – Surface & Underground 58 (2006) No. 6 Continuous Surface Mining

ISCSM 2006 in Aachen PETER VOSSEN, Germany

From 25th to 27th September 2006, the 8th symposium on continuous surface mining “International Symposium Continuous Surface Mining” (ISCSM) took place in Aachen. On the occasion of its 40th anniversary, the Chair of the Institute of Surface Mining and Drilling (Institut für Bergbaukunde III) at the RWTH Aachen − Professor Christian Niemann-Delius − hosted the event, which takes place on a two- to three-year cycle, for the second time after 1995. It was also supported by the Institute of Mining and Special Underground Engineering of the Technical University of Freiberg and the DEBRIV (Federal Lignite Association). After the traditional get-together on the evening of 24th September, presentations were being held in three parallel forums in the Kármán Auditorium (Figure 1) covering the areas of 1. Lignite mining in leading mining countries, 2. Equipment, 3. Drilling engineering, water management, rock mechanics,

Fig. 2: Session 1: Lignite mining in selected countries

to discuss and to exchange experiences (Figure 2). The conference was complemented by an exhibition of operators and manufac- turers in the lobby of the Karmán Auditorium. Not least the night event in the Aula Carolina offered the opportunity to make and deepen contacts. To complete the event, on 26th September, 56 mostly foreign entrants took the opportunity to visit the Hambach Surface Mine (Figure 3) to obtain a comprehensive impression of the state of the art technology applied in the Rhen- ish Lignite Mining District. The presentations and other articles of the ISCSM 2006 are contained in the proceedings, which are available through the Institute of Surface Mining and Drilling. Visit the web site www.bergbaukunde.de to get more information and to see a picture gallery. th Fig. 1: Kármán Auditorium of RWTH Aachen The organisation of the 9 ISCSM in 2008 was taken over by the University of Petrosani. 4. Continuous surface mining and conveying engineering in hard rock mines, 5. Deposit modelling and computer-based work planning, 6. Surface mining and environmental engineering, 7. Operations monitoring and controlling. A series of selected papers will be published in this and spo- radically the following issues of “World of Mining – Surface & Underground”. About 200 participants from research and the industry coming from twelve countries took the opportunity to gather information,

Dipl.-Ing. M. Techn. PETER VOSSEN, RWTH Aachen University, Department of Mining Engineering III, Surface Mining and Drilling, Lochnerstr. 4-20, 52064 Aachen, Germany Tel. +49 (0) 241-80-95683, Fax +49 (0) 241-80-92250 e-mail: [email protected] Fig. 3: Visiting the Hambach Surface Mine

363 Lignite Industry World of Mining – Surface & Underground 58 (2006) No. 6

Lignite industry in Greece KONSTANTINOS CHALOULOS, GEORGE K. GEKAS, Greece

Lignite is Greece’s only significant fossil fuel source and accounts of the major parameters defining PPC’s overall strategy. About about 30 % of primary energy consumption. The contribution 25 % of the total land acquired by PPC for lignite exploitation has of lignite in the generation system of Greece is about 60 % the already been restored. The application of Kyoto protocol seems last years. Greece is ranked second lignite producer in Europe, to have low impact on the Greek lignite industry. The remaining having a total annual production of about 70 mill t, most of them reserves of the exploitable lignite deposits will permit lifetime of extracted by Public Power Corporation (PPC). The installed ca- more than 40 years for the overall lignite system. Certain measures pacity of lignite-fired power units is 5000 MW. Lignite is mainly are perceived to be necessary to ensure the competitiveness of extracted by continuous operation of bucket-wheel excavators, lignite in the energy market in the short and long future. belt conveyors and spreaders. Environmental protection is one

Der Braunkohlenbergbau in Griechenland Braunkohle ist die einzige bedeutende fossile Energiequelle abgebaut. Der Umweltschutz ist ein wichtiger Parameter in der Griechenlands und deckt ca. 30 % des Primärenergieverbrauchs. Gesamtstrategie der PPC. Etwa 25 % des von der PPC für den Der Beitrag der Braunkohle zur griechischen Energieerzeugung Braunkohlenabbau in Anspruch genommenen Areals sind bereits betrug in den vergangenen Jahren etwa 60 %. Griechenland wieder rekultiviert worden. Die Anwendung des Kyoto-Protokolls steht an zweiter Stelle der Braunkohlenerzeugung in Europa, hat auf den griechischen Braunkohlenbergbau nur geringfügige die jährliche Fördermenge beträgt etwa 70 Mio. t. Der Großteil Auswirkungen. Die verbliebenen Reserven an Braunkohle er- wird durch die Public Power Corporation (PPC) gefördert. Die lauben den Betrieb des gesamten Abbausystems für mehr als installierte Leistung der braunkohlenbefeuerten Kraftwerke be- 40 Jahre. Bestimmte Maßnahmen werden zur Sicherung der trägt 5000 MW. Die Braunkohle wird vorwiegend kontinuierlich Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der Braunkohle auf dem Energiemarkt durch Schaufelradbagger, Förderbänder und Abwurfgeräte nötig sein – kurzfristig wie langfristig.

1 Lignite – the main domestic 1.2 Low extraction cost primary energy source Greek lignite is extracted from opencast mines applying continuous mining methods, using high-capacity equipment (such as bucket- Greece has succeeded fairly strong growth over the last few years. wheel excavators, belt conveyors and spreaders). The country has only limited indigenous energy resources. Besides modest oil and gas reserves, lignite is Greece’s only signiﬁcant fossil fuel source, representing approximately 80 % of primary energy production. Accounting about 30 % of primary energy consumption (in 2003), lignite is currently country’s most important indigenous fuel. Oil is still the most important fuel source overall, accounting for 57 % of the country’s primary energy consumption. Consumption of imported natural gas (mostly from Russia) has signiﬁcantly in- creased over the last few years and now has a share of 6.6 % in the Greek market. Hard coal imports of 0.8 Mt/a still account for 1.5 % of primary energy consumption (Figure 1). Lignite is a key strategic fuel for Greece for the following reasons:

1.1 Secure supply The exploitable reserves are calculated to last, at current use, for approximately 40 years in Western Macedonia and approximately 20 years in Megalopolis. In addition, as an indigenous fuel source, lignite supply will not be interrupted by political instability outside Greece.

Dipl. Eng. KONSTANTINOS CHALOULOS, 7 Fylis street, Iraklion Attikis, 14122 Greece Tel. +30 (0) 210-2834011 Fig. 1: Composition of primary energy consumption Dipl. Eng. GEORGE K. GEKAS 9 Scholiou street, Agia Paraskevi Attikis, 15342 Greece Tel. +30 (0) 210-6397845 Paper presented on the occasion of the 8th International Sym- e-mail: [email protected] posium Continuous Surface Mining, September 24 to 27, 2006 in Aachen.

364 Lignite Industry World of Mining – Surface & Underground 58 (2006) No. 6

Current status and future prospects of the lignite industry and the Mátra in Hungary MARKUS KOSMA, Hungary; STEFAN HOTZ, Germany; BARNÁBAS DEREKAS, Hungary

The future of the coal and thereby the Mátra power plant is tightly competitiveness of the domestic energy resource lignite. On basis related to the political frame-conditions to guarantee an economic of the sufficient lignite resources and the already realised arrange- safe and environmentally friendly power production. The actual ments to develop the position on the liberalized energy market investment decision to build a lignite block on the site of the Mátra power station is able to achieve a significant contribution Mátra Power Plant presumes a sufficient fuel-specific and long- to the permanent energy-supply in Hungary. term secured CO2-allocation, which henceforward provides the

Derzeitiger Stand und Zukunftsaussichten für den Braunkohlebergbau und das Mátra-Kraftwerk in Ungarn

Die Zukunft der Kohle in Ungarn und damit auch des Mátra CO2-Zuteilung voraus, die auch weiterhin die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit Kraftwerks hängt eng mit den politischen Rahmensetzungen zur der heimischen Energiequelle Braunkohle sichert. Auf Grundlage Gewährleistung einer wirtschaftlichen, sicheren und umweltver- der reichenden Braunkohlevorkommen und den bereits durch- träglichen Stromerzeugung zusammen. Die anstehende Investi- geführten Maßnahmen zur Verbesserung der Position in einem tionsentscheidung zum Bau eines neuen Braunkohleblocks am liberalisierten Strommarkt kann Mátra auch zukünftig einen Standort des Mátra Kraftwerkes setzt dabei insbesondere eine wesentlichen Beitrag für eine nachhaltige Energieversorgung in auskömmliche, brennstoffspeziﬁsche und langfristig abgesicherte Ungarn leisten.

1 Coal industry in Hungary the oil and gas consumption has to be imported, lignite is based on a nearly 100 % indigenous production and is consequently of high Due to last months’ strong gas- and oil-price ﬂuctuation, a safe, strategically impact on the Hungarian energy supply. Hungary’s independent and calculated energy supply – in particular from lignite and brown coal resources are concentrated in the regions indigenous resources – also in Hungary is essential, especially as of Transdanubia and in northern and north-eastern Hungary. Hungary is highly dependent on imported energy. After a continual decline in the coal production in the previous In Hungary primary energy consumption with almost 1100 PJ years, due to the decommission of out-dated power plants, the natural gas has the largest share with 43 %, followed by oil with production is actually stabilized at a 9 to 10 mill t/a level. The coal 28 %, coal with 13 % and nuclear energy with 12 % (Figure 1). is used almost in total in the power generation. Apart from gas and oil, lignite accounts for 85 % of the country’s About 1.6 mill t of coal are produced in the underground mine solid fuel reserves, making this the most important indigenous fuel called Márkushegy which supplies the Oroszlányi power station with an estimated lifetime for more than 100 years. While 80 % of operated by Vértes Power Stations. The Mátra Power Station’s open cast mines Visonta and Bükkábrány produce about 8.0 to 8.5 mill t of lignite by removing some 59 mill m3 of overburden. Dipl.-Ing. MARKUS KOSMA, The 1000 km² lignite ﬁelds of Mátra Erömü ZRt. (Mátra), which Mátrai Erömü ZRt, P.O. Box 21, 3273 Visonta, Hungary have mineral reserves of over 1.0 bn t, are located 90 to 100 km Tel. +36 (0) 37-328-114, Fax +36 (0) 37-328-115 to the east of Budapest at Visonta and Bükkábrány. e-mail: [email protected] The Lignite power plant Mátra (Figure 2) generates 5700 GWh Dr. STEFAN HOTZ, power per annum, based on an installed capacity from 836 MW. RWE Power International, RE GmbH, Herewith Mátra supplies about 15 % of the Hungarian power Stüttgenweg 2, 50935 Köln, Germany demand with altogether 8830 MW. 40 % of the base load power Tel. +49 (0) 221-480-1340, Fax +49 (0) 221-480-1350 generation is covered by the state owned nuclear power plant e-mail: [email protected] Paks (see Figure 1). Dipl.-Ing. BARNÁBAS DEREKAS, Mátrai Erömü ZRt, P.O. Box 21, 3273 Visonta, Hungary Tel. +36 (0) 37-328-068, Fax +36 (0) 37-328-068 Paper presented on the occasion of the 8th International Sym- e-mail: [email protected] posium Continuous Surface Mining, September 24 to 27, 2006 in Aachen.

372 Mine Planning World of Mining – Surface & Underground 58 (2006) No. 6

Planning activities for continuing operations of the Reichwalde opencast mine of Vattenfall Europe Mining AG DIETMAR BALKE, Germany

Long-term supply and delivery contracts of Vattenfall Europe decision for the new strategic investment was made in December Mining AG (VE-M) with the customers allow for a raw coal output 2005. This will enable VE-M to satisfy the raw coal demand of their of about 60 mill t/a. From 2010, coal production will be continued customers in the long run. The activities to refurbish the heavy-duty in the Saxon Reichwalde opencast mine. The mine was com- opencast mine equipment and the new installation of equipment missioned in 1987 and put into stand-by operation in 1999. The systems and infrastructure will start in 2006.

Planungen für den weiteren Betrieb des Tagebaus Reichwalde der Vattenfall Europe Mining AG Langfristige Liefer- und Versorgungsverträge der Vattenfall Europe Stand-by-Zustand versetzt. Die Entscheidung für diese Investition Mining AG (VE-M) mit ihren Kunden ermöglichen eine Rohkohleför- ﬁel im Dezember 2005. Dies wird es der VE-M ermöglichen, den derung von etwa 60 Mio. t/a. Ab 2010 wird die Kohleförderung im Bedarf ihrer Kunden an Rohkohle langfristig zu decken. Im Jahr sächsischen Tagebau Reichwalde wieder aufgenommen werden. 2006 begannen die Arbeiten zur Ertüchtigung der Tagebaugeräte Die Grube wurde 1987 in Betrieb genommen und 1999 in den und zum Neuaufbau der Anlagentechnik und der Infrastruktur.

1 Summary Teichlandschaft” (Upper Lusatian Heath- and Pond Landscape) and the “Muskauer Heide” (Muskau Heath Landscape). Between the rivers Elbe and Neiße, in the East of Germany (Fig- The Reichwalde coal field is at the south-eastern edge of the ure 1) there is deposited a huge energy potential deep below the Lusatian Lignite Mining Area. surface. More than two billion tonnes of a raw material being more than 16 million years old are stored in the approved and planned mining fields of the company Vattenfall Europe Mining AG (VE-M). Opencast mines 2005 The coal field extends beyond the Lusatian lignite mining area. Jänschwalde 14.5 mill t At present, VE-M operates the opencast mines of Jänschwalde, Cottbus-Nord 4.5 mill t Cottbus-Nord and Welzow-Süd in the Land of Brandenburg, as Welzow-Süd 21.4 mill t well as the Nochten opencast mine in the Free State of Saxony. Nochten 19.0 mill t Reichwalde no mining Since 1999, the Reichwalde opencast mine has been in stand-by total 59.4 mill t operation. In the business year 2005, about 59.4 mill t of raw lignite were mined (see Figure 1). The overburden removal in the mines came to totally 418 mill m³. Approximately 92 % of the extracted run- of-mine coal is supplied to the company own power plants at the locations of Jänschwalde, Schwarze Pumpe and Boxberg. In the next years, raw coal extraction will remain at a level of about 60 mill t/a. Owing to the changing geological conditions in the mining fields it is necessary to remove more than 450 mill m³ of overburden per annum. The continuation of operations in the Reichwalde opencast mine is a safe basis for VE-M to satisfy the raw coal demand of its customers in the long run. Power plants 2 The Reichwalde coal field Jänschwalde 3000 MW The mining- and influenced areas of the Reichwalde opencast Boxberg 1900 MW Schwarze Pumpe 1600 MW mine belong to the natural areas of the “Oberlausitzer Heide- und total 6500 MW

Dipl.-Ing. DIETMAR BALKE, Fig. 1: Lusatian lignite mining area Vattenfall Europe Mining AG, Vom-Stein-Str. 39, 03050 Cottbus, Germany Tel. +49 (0) 0355-2887-2058, Fax +49 (0) 0355-2887-2292 Paper presented on the occasion of the 8th International Sym- e-mail: [email protected] posium Continuous Surface Mining, September 24 to 27, 2006 in Aachen.

376 World of Mining – Surface & Underground 58 (2006) No. 6 Technical Report

Application of new methods in solving current reclamation issues of Severoceské doly, a.s. localities MICHAL REHOR, TOMÁS LANG, MIROSLAV EIS, Czech Republic

1 Introduction the Bílina Mines with the mining locality of the Bílina mine. Based on the different type of overburden rocks in both mining localities Severoceské doly, a.s. Chomutov (North Bohemian Mines, j.s.c. different requirements apply for the reclamation. In case of the Chomutov), the share holding company was founded within the Bílina Mines the main issue is the occurrence of extremely acid privatization of the North-Bohemian Brown-Coal Mines on Janu- phyto-toxical areas (high contents of coal – approx. 5 %), in the ary 1,1994. Today the allotments of the share holding company case of the Nástup Tusimice Mines the main issue is the occur- include geological reserves of about 1200 mill t and recover- rence of sterile areas (high content of physical clay). The research able reserves amounting to 700 mill t. The annual production methodology of the areas of interests and the reclamation works amounts to ca 22 mill t of brown coal representing almost 50 % themselves described in this article arise from Severoceské doly, of Czech market and the annual volume of overburden stripping a.s. locality reclamation philosophy. It is based on the knowledge 3 is 100 mill m of clayey rocks. This is currently the largest mining of overburden minerals properties and detailed survey of each company in the Czech Republic. The reclamation of vast areas reclaimed sites provided in co-operation with the Severoceské affected with brown coal mining is, of course, an important part doly, a.s., Výzkumný ústav pro hnedé uhlí, a.s. (Research Institute of its activities. of Brown Coal, j.s.c. Most), Výzkumný ústav meliorací a ochrany Current task of Severoceské doly, a.s. reclamations is to make pudy Praha (Research Institute of Ameliorations and Soil Protection reclamation works more efficient using locally available fertilizable Praha) and Zemedelská universita Praha (Agricultural University of rocks and other materials, and to be maximally environmentally Prague). Experiments have been started recently with areas left for friendly. The core of the article is the characteristics of new recla- natural succession, with application of power plant stabiliser (this mation methods used mainly for reclamation of sterile and phyto- product is described in greater detail in chapter five) and power toxical areas of both localities of Severoceské doly, a.s. and for plant ash in phyto-toxic areas apart from the methodology of the protection, research and relevant development of remarkable fertilizable soils application earlier published by ONDRÁCEK [1] and ecosystems arising in the dumps. The situation in the areas of SAFÁROVÁ [4] and being used in operation today. interests is shown in Figure 1. 3 Application of fertilizable rocks 2 New concept of technical reclama- in reclaimed localities of Severo- tion in Severoceske doly, a.s. ceské doly, a.s. localities Top soil, loess and loess loam, marlite and bentonite are the most Mining and reclamation works of Severoceské doly, a.s. proceed important rocks used for reclamation purposes in the localities of in two considerably different geological areas. It concerns Nástup Severoceské doly, a.s. Tusimice Mines with the mining locality of the Libous mine and The application of fertilizable rocks is the most efficient method in areas consisting of highly arenaceous to phyto-toxical rocks. In this case marlaceous minerals or bentonite minerals are applied in RNDr. MICHAL REHOR, the amount of 3000 to 3500 m3·ha-1 with the following homoge- Výzkumný ústav pro hnedé uhlí a.s. (Brown Coal Research nation (inmixture) or cross ploughing from 0.5 to 0.6 m. Surface Institute, j.s.c.), Budovatelu 2830, 434 37 Most, Czech Republic overlay in the area of interest with loess loam and the thickness Tel. +420-476-298-642 to 0.5 m is an option of this procedure. The application of organic e-mail: [email protected] substances (composts) with the adjusted ratio C : N (25) in the Dipl.-Ing. TOMÁŠ LANG, amount 400 t·ha-1, embedded into 0.30 to 0.50 m reclaimed Výzkumný ústav pro hnedé uhlí a.s. (Brown Coal Research surface of the dump and the follow-up two-year preparatory Institute, j.s.c.), Budovatelu 2830, 434 37 Most, Czech Republic agricultural cycle (growing plants for green manure) is requested Tel. +420-476-298-613 as an additional measure. e-mail: [email protected] The stated methodology was successfully used in a lot of sites of Dipl.-Ing. MIROSLAV EIS, the Bílina Mine. Anthropogenic soil profile created by bentonite Severoceské doly a.s. (North Bohemian Mines, j.s.c.) application in the Strimice dump, an anthropogenous soil profile B. Nemcové 5359, 430 01 Chomutov, Czech Republic created with the application of marl in the Radovesice dump and Tel. +420-474-602-091 the anthropogenous soil profile created with the application of e-mail: [email protected] loess loams at the inner dump of the Bílina Mine can be used as an example. Several results are shown in Table 1.

383 World of Mining – Surface & Underground 58 (2006) No. 6 Report

Ein Geologe erinnert sich – Rückblick und Trend EBERHARD THEURKAUF, Germany

Technisch-wirtschaftliche Leistungen und Erfolge der modernen weite Explorations- und Exploitationskampagnen. Sie sicherten Bergwirtschaft waren machtpolitisch und sozio-ökonomisch mit- sich 1943 u.a. die Einﬂussnahme auf die bedeutende Lagerstätte bestimmend im turbulenten 20. Jahrhundert. Koloniale und euro- radioaktiver Erze Shinkolobwe in Belgisch-Kongo als Basis des zentrische Machtbefugnisse beeinﬂussten noch bis zur Mitte des anbrechenden Atomzeitalters. – Die sich rasant entwickelnden vergangenen Jahrhunderts die internationalen Rohstoffmärkte. Leistungsmöglichkeiten auf allen Tätigkeitsfeldern des Berg-, Deutschland, das nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg wichtige Erzlager- Hütten- und Transportwesens schufen Voraussetzungen einer stätten verloren hatte und in den 30er und 40er Jahren wiederum globalen Rohstoffgewinnung im großen Stil, so dass im Zeitraum Großmachtpläne verfolgte, scheiterte damit letztendlich auch an von 1945 bis 1990 mehr Mineralien gewonnen werden konnten der Nichtverfügbarkeit strategischer Bergbauprodukte für seine als in der gesamten Menschheitsgeschichte vorher. – Aufgrund überdehnte Industrie. – Die um störfreien Zugriff auf mineralische des steigenden Rohstoffbedarfs und der globalen Bergbau-Oli- Vorstoffe bemühten Amerikaner verabschiedeten im Juni 1939 im gopole ist die Zeit der billigen mineralischen und energetischen US-Kongress den „Strategic Materials Act“ und eröffneten welt- Welthandelsgüter vorbei.

Memories of a geologist – review and tendencies One of the major charcteristics of the turbulent 20th century were US Congress and started world-wide exploration and mining cam- the technical and economic performances and successes of mod- paigns. Among other projects, they secured, in 1943, their influence ern mining. Colonial and eurocentric power exerted its influence on the important radio-active ores deposit of Shinkolobwe in the on the international raw-materials markets up to the middle of the Belgian Congo, as a basis for the rising atomic age. – The sweeping past century. Germany, which had lost after World War I some performances in all fields of mining, smelting and transportation set important ore deposits, still followed a first-rate power policy in the the basis for large-scale raw-material production, so that, from 1945 thirties and fourties, finally failed last but not least because of the to 1990 more minerals have been mined than throughout the whole non-availability of strategic mining products for its dilated industries. history of mankind before. – Because of both, rising raw-materials – The Americans, striving for an undisturbed access to mineral raw demand and global mining oligopolies, the period of cheap mineral materials, passed, in June 1939, the “Strategic Materials Act” in the and energetic world trading goods has gone.

Die während des Zweiten Weltkriegs heranwachsende Jugend Geomorphologie tat sein übriges. Mangelerscheinungen an – mein Geburtsjahrgang 1928 gehörte dazu – wurde durch ständig pflanzlichen, tierischen, metallischen und sonstigen Rohstoffen, wechselnde und zum Teil verheerende Ereignisse und infolge des besonders aber an Energie schon in der Vorkriegszeit, verschärft apokalyptischen Kriegsendes wesentlich geprägt. Damals für mich während des Krieges und auch noch in den Nachkriegsjahren, unverständlich doch unvergessen ist, dass die Engländer im Juni gaben Anstoß und führten letztendlich zum Entschluss, Geo- 1940 in Frankreich und später noch einmal in der Cyrenaika/Nord- logie, Mineralogie/Lagerstättenkunde, Bergwirtschaft und als afrika von einem siegreichen, geordneten Rückzug sprachen. Nebenfach Physik zunächst an der neu gegründeten Berliner Während meines aktiven Berufslebens habe ich mehr als einmal Freien Universität und anschließend in der Fakultät für Berg- und daran denken müssen. Statt in der Planungsphase befindliche Hüttenwesen der Technischen Universität Berlin bis zur Promotion Vorhaben abzubrechen und auch laufende Betriebe aufzugeben, im Jahre 1955 zu studieren. Auch die Chance, als Geologe das wenn sich ihre dauerhafte Unwirtschaftlichkeit abzeichnet, wird verwüstete, verarmte und besetzte Land gegebenenfalls verlassen nicht selten trotz immer größer werdender Verluste daran festge- zu können, inspirierten die Berufswahl. Tatsächlich war es mir halten. Die rechtzeitige Stillsetzung eines unrentablen Betriebes, dann vergönnt, während einer rund 35-jährigen Berufslaufbahn das heißt Einleitung eines geordneten Rückzugs, verlangt Mut, als Economic Geologist – eine einfache entsprechende deutsche Durchsetzungsvermögen und strategisches Geschick. Berufsbezeichnung gibt es m.E. nicht – in 28 Ländern aller Erdteile Nach bestandenem Abitur im Jahre 1949, infolge der Kriegs- etwa 80 Kohle- und Erzlagerstätten mit verschiedener Mineralisati- ereignisse um zwei Jahre verspätet, stellte sich die Frage des on aufsuchen, untersuchen und bewerten zu können. Seit meinen Berufsziels. Für eine rationale Entscheidung fehlten substantielle ersten wissenschaftlichen geologischen Arbeiten in den Jahren Orientierungshilfen. Ein Kabarett in Berlin sang zu dieser Zeit in 1953/54 im Devon/Unterkarbon des Kantabrischen Gebirges der einem Chanson den Refrain „... ohne Signal auf Sicht“; denn die Provincia de Palencia/Nordspanien für die Dissertation sind mehr Berliner S-Bahn konnte wegen häufiger Signalstörungen eben nur als 50 Jahre vergangen. mit diesem mündlichen Fahrbefehl des jeweiligen Fahrdienstleiters Das Geologische Landesamt Rheinland-Pfalz in Mainz hat einmal von Station zu Station verkehren; und dieser Slogan traf genau den Rohstoffverbrauch einer Person in Deutschland während den Zeitgeist. eines 70-jährigen Lebens zu ermitteln versucht. Das in Tabelle 1 Durch Wanderungen in den deutschen und österreichischen aufgeführte Ergebnis der Erhebung zeigt die Bedeutung der Alpen mit den Eltern in den 30er und 40er Jahren, Spiele in den Bergwirtschaft vor allem, wenn man den Rohstoffbedarf auf die Kiesbergen des Warschau-Berliner-Urstromtals bei Frankfurt wachsende Weltbevölkerung bei expandierender Industrialisie- (Oder) entstand eine Hobby-Sammlung von Steinen, Geschiebe, rung, abzüglich gewisser Recyclingmengen, hochrechnet. Mineralien und Fossilien. Ein guter Schulunterricht in Geographie/ Angeregt durch die großen Rohstoff-Verbräuche in den Ma- terialschlachten des ersten Weltkriegs – Lord Curzon bei der Dr.rer.nat. EBERHARD THEURKAUF, Friedenskonferenz 1919 in Versailles: „... Eine Woge Öl trug uns Dresdner Str. 5, 15232 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany zum Siege“ – und infolge Erschöpfungserscheinungen bekannter Lagerstättenreviere verabschiedete der US Kongress am 7. Juni

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