After 144 years of operation, the brown coal mine in Zenica is entering its final chapter. Authorities have confirmed the start of the shutdown process, with part of the complex slated for sale. At the same time, a proposal has emerged to preserve key sections of the site and transform them into a mining and industrial heritage museum.
Established in 1879, the Zenica mine was the first brown coal operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and played a pivotal role in shaping the city’s industrial identity. Its development triggered major infrastructure projects, including railway construction and the expansion of the steel industry, which together created thousands of jobs and positioned Zenica as one of the country’s leading industrial centers.
Plans to close the mine were first announced two years ago, with officials citing long-term financial losses and operational inefficiencies. Federal Minister of Energy, Mining and Industry Vedran Lakic previously stated that the mine should have either declared bankruptcy or ceased operations earlier due to technological constraints and mounting deficits that burdened power utility EPBiH. At the time, the mine employed around 850 workers.
Authorities have pledged that miners will be provided with alternative employment and that no worker will be left without support as the closure process unfolds.
