Mining in the Czech Republic

摘要

MINING TRENDS The Czech Republic and the European countries are heading for reduction in mining. The ore mining would be finished in year 2004 at a last remaining sector i.e. a mining of the uranium deposits, mainly due to exhaustion of these ones. The mining of the limestone and construction materials is and most probably will be on the same level of the current production [Table 1] within previously determined mining areas. The approval of the new mining areas is always more difficult due to a pressure on the environment. The substantial mining is concentrated into hard coal and brown coal. The brown coal reserves represent a safe supply of primary energy at least for next 50 years by a reasonable production costs. The big advantage of the Czech Republic is a large independence on an import of the fuels. The employment in the mining industry copies a development of production. The social problems concerned about that one are solved by the Czech government. CUTTING COSTS Today everybody talks about problems: operating costs, an environment and a sustainable energy development. The previous political and economical regime has let a lot so called "stranded" costs, which are estimated on a level several billions USD. To be fair these ones belong to another debts from previous mining on the same financial level. There is verbally a good climate for negotiation about a solution with our government, who is willing to solve it. The complete privatization of the Czech mining industry is planned for year 2003 - 2004 following a privatization of the Czech energy sector, where there is good space for solution to the above mentioned problems. The Czech brown coal mining industry has dominant position in a supply of primary energy for our state. According to the internal and external market conditions we are expecting currently another decline in our brown coal production. It was to be expected that something will be solved by liberalization of an energy market, something by a state impacts, but the coal companies will have to continue in cutting costs. In the last time we are looking for a solution how to construct and utilize clean coal technologies and how to eliminate old mining equipment and to buy new ones on the basis of higher productivity and a lower cost of maintenance. On the other side, new investment brings more business risks ENVIRONMENT The improvement of the environment continues very well. There is a good result, but mostly and finally that is a financial problem. According to the new regulations about an environment in Europe, [commitments of the Kjoto protocol] we know and it is necessary to say that the Czech brown coal mining industry would be not able competitive, if we will not change technologies of brown coal processing. The mining possibilities of an improvement of the environment are limited. The care about a rehabilitation is done basically by laws including a liabilities of the mining companies to create funds for it. The approval of "Letter of Authority to Mine" lasts currently later to compare before, due to reminders of a municipalities, private or corporate bodies. The aim is good relationship between a mining company and its neighbors. CAPITALIZATION OF COAL European countries and the Czech Republic are working out the strategy for energy studies on period up to year 2020. The results enable to determine a concrete energy mix for each country in relationship to safe, reliable energy supply on one side, and on the other side a promotion for construction a new energy plant with higher efficiency. The last results in energy development confirmed that an efficiency of the energy plants will achieve a level 60% during few years.