CZECH REPUBLIC

Proved amount in place (total coal, million tonnes) 9 811
Proved recoverable reserves (total coal, million tonnes) 5 678
Production (total coal, million tonnes, 1999) 59.2

The Czech Republic possesses sizeable coal resources, with a proved amount in place of nearly 10 billion tonnes, of which about 58% is reported to be economically recoverable. In terms of rank, 37% of the proved reserves are classified as bituminous, 60% as sub-bituminous and 3% as lignite.

Bituminous coal deposits are mainly in the Ostrava-Karviná basin in the east of the country, and lie within the Czech section of the Upper Silesian coalfield. The principal sub-bituminous/lignite basins are located in the regions of North and West Bohemia, close to the Krusne Hory (Ore Mountains) which constitute the republic’s north-western border with Germany.

Since 1990, Czech output of bituminous coal has fallen by about 35%, to 14.4 million tonnes in 1999, whilst sub-bituminous/lignite has nearly halved, declining from 79 million tonnes in 1990 to less than 45 million tonnes in 1999. A substantial proportion (nearly 60%) of the republic’s bituminous coal production consists of coking coal. In 1998, exports of bituminous and sub-bituminous coal amounted to 10.5 million tonnes, equivalent to just over 15% of production.

Apart from its coking coal, which is consumed by the iron and steel industry, most of the republic’s bituminous coal is used for electricity and heat generation, with industrial and private consumers accounting for only modest proportions. This pattern of utilisation also applies to sub-bituminous coal, which is still the main power station fuel.

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