Jänschwalde Coal Mine

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The Jänschwalde coal mine is a surface coal mine located near Teichland, Forst, and Peitz in Brandenburg, Germany.[1][2]

The mine provides lignite to the Janschwalde power station.

Location

The satellite photo below shows the area of the mine near Teichland, Forst, and Peitz in Brandenburg, Germany.

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Background

The Jänschwalde open-cast mine is operated by Lausitz Energie Bergbau AG (LEAG) in the Lausitz lignite district in Brandenburg and was named after the Jänschwalde community in the Spree-Neisse district. It was opened in the period from 1974 to 1976 south of the town of Grötsch (near Heinersbrück ) and developed from the Grötsch area initially in a southerly direction, before turning to the north-east near Klinge. The nearby Janschwalde power station is largely powered by lignite supplied from this open pit.[3] The calorific value of lignite is 8,400 kJ/kg; it contains about 51% water, 1% sulfur and 12% ash.

On March 30, 2017, LEAG cancelled plans to expand Jänschwalde.

On September 1, 2019, the open-cast mine was closed for the time being, as there was no confirmed FFH impact assessment. Coal has been allowed to be mined again since February 24th 2020.

In August 2020, Germany passed a coal phaseout act which aims to gradually reduce and eventually end the use of coal-powered energy in the country by 2038.[4] According to the Oeko-Institut, a nonprofit environmental research institute, the shutdown of the Jänschwalde open-cast mine is planned for 2023.[5] However, due to Russia's war in Ukraine, Germany is considering delaying the closure of some lignite power plants and is also considering bringing some recently closed lignite plants back online.[6]

As per LEAG's website (undated), the approved raw material reserves in Jänschwalde are expected to be exhausted by 2023. The other coal mines of LEAG further south will then take over the supply of the neighboring power plant site.[7]

A media source from December 2023 reported that it was officially the last day for the mine and LEAG will now move from production to the rehabilitation phase. "We are moving open-case mining from the active to the passive phase and from 2024 onwards, only the geotechnical stabilization measures will take place and we will restore the surface of the mine. Three lakes are to be be built on the mining area, and LEAG will also install wind and solar systems. Around 300 of the 500 miners will now go the other mines operated by LEAG, while the rest will stay for the mine's renovation.[8] *translated from German). Around 660 million tonnes of coal have been extracted at the mine since its start of operations.[9]

Mine Details

  • Owner: Lausitz Energie Bergbau AG (LEAG)
  • Parent Company: Energetický a průmyslový holding AS [50.0%]; PPF Investments Ltd [50.0%]
  • Energetický a Průmyslový Holding (EPH; 50%) and PPF Investments (50%)[10]
  • Location: near Teichland, Forst, and Peitz in Brandenburg, Germany
  • GPS coordinates: 51.791944, 14.539722 (exact)
  • Mine Status: Closed (2023)
  • Production: 7.4 Mt (2020)[11], 9.1 Mt (2021)[2][11], 11.1 Mt (2022)[12]
  • Total Resource:
  • Total Reserves:
  • Coal Type: Lignite
  • Mine Size: 80 km2
  • Mine Type: Surface
  • Start Year: 1974
  • Source of Financing:
  • Number of Employees: 2500

Articles and resources

References

  1. Germany's Three Lignite Mining Regions, Clean Energy Wire, 2018.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Business Fields: Mining", LEAG website, accessed June 2022.
  3. Jänschwalde opencast mine must be stopped, Lausitzer Rundschau, August 30, 2019
  4. "Germany: Law on Phasing-Out Coal-Powered Energy by 2038 Enters into Force", US Library of Congress website, August 31, 2020.
  5. Analysis of power plant closure plans for Germany’s Lusatian mining district, The Oeko-Institut, accessed June 2022.
  6. "Germany to demolish village for coal, despite phaseout plans", E&E News, April 13, 2022.
  7. "OPENCAST MINING Jänschwalde". /www.leag.de. Retrieved February 2024. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. "Tagebau Jänschwalde mit offiziellem Akt geschlossen". www.rbb24.de/. December 22, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. "Ära in der Lausitz endet nach fast 50 Jahren Kohleförderung". www.rbb24.de. December 22, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. Overview Company, LEAG website, accessed June 2022.
  11. 11.0 11.1 "The German lignite industry in 2021" (PDF). braunkohle.de/. 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. "The Lusatian opencast mines". www.leag.de/. Retrieved February 2024. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= and |date= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Related GEM.wiki articles

External resources

External articles