How much coal is left?
Report of the project:
Hard Coal production in Germany
Source: BGR
In a three years research project, BGR examines the size of hard coal deposits in Europe and Russia. The focus is on deposits suitable for supplying the German coal market. The economics of all deposits are evaluated, also possible annual production capacities of new mines. Additionally, BGR analyses the influence of hard coal produced in new mines on the world market prices of coal.
In most European countries hard coal production is reduced gradually. Great Britain, Spain and Germany lower their (subsidised) hard coal productions. Franceclosed its last hard coal mine in April 2004. Poland and the Czech Republic also reduced their hard coal mining activities. Norway, on the other hand, extended its coal production on Spitsbergenduring the last years to expand its presence on this archipelago.
Number of employees in German hard coal mining districts, 1945-2004
Source: BGR
Sinking hard coal productions affect the mining district in a variety of ways. Negative economic and social effects are common in these areas. In post-war Germany, highest productions after 1945 were reached in 1956 with 151.4 Mio. tonnes. This volume was impaired by 83% up to 2003, when just 25.8 Mio. tonnes were mined. In the same period of time the number of employees in German hard coal mining districts dropped from 598,394 in 1956 down to 42,005 in 2004. Since 2001, German hard coal imports are higher than the indigenous production.
