Exploitation of a deposit, which resources are about 350 million tons, according to announcement, is going to start at the beginning of the second half of the next year. – Opening of the new open pit is necessary, due to replacement of the open pit “Veliki Crljeni” and supply stability of current and future thermal capacities.
The first tons of the Open Pit “Radljevo” of the Mining Basin “Kolubara”, if the activities connected with its opening continuing to develop according to the starting dynamic, should be excavated at the end of the year 2015, and the opening of the new open pit, as well as the exploitation of the first cubic meters of overburden is expected in the second half of the next year. On this occasion, on 8th July, in the Management of MB “Kolubara” in Lazarevac the meeting was held;at this meeting following persons were present: Mr. Milorad Grčić, Director of MB “Kolubara”, Mr. Dragoljub Laković, President of the MB “Kolubara” Assembly, and Mr. Darko Glišić, President of Ub Municipality.
The Open Pit “Radljevo”, that is going to replace the OP “Veii Crljeni” is designed as a modern European open pit, with complete automation, high technical standards, and information monitoring controls system, which should secure long years supply of the thermal capacities with Kolubara-lignite. The working session that was held is third of a kind, among the great number of similar sessions for the short period of time, which aim was to precise the strategy and rapid realization of this capital business.
The Director of MB “Kolubara”, Mr. Milorad Grčić, speaking to reporters, remembered that the opening of “Radljevo” is more than three decades old idea, which could not be realized up to now, due to objective reasons.
– Opening of “Radljevo” is one of the most significant state projects,it is significant both for the Serbian electricity and the whole region – said Mr. Grčić. – If we continue to work with this tempo, we can expect to start the production on the new open pit i officially n the second part of the year 2014. Doubtless, we are going to succeed, with joint efforts, to stick to the planed dynamic of activities, what is more than ambitious. The miners know well, what it means, to start the open pit – it is the beginning of a new life for economy, electricity and social issues.
On this occasion, the concrete agreed steps are announced, and they are going to be performed in the next two months. In this way the personnel schema should be “closed”, by the end of July, i.e. until then the experts for the realization will be entitled, and engaged in two entities – Council and the Investment Group. It is also envisaged to open the offices in the Ub Municipality up to 1. September, where actually is the new open pit. According to Mr. Dragoljub Laković, the Chairmen of the MB “Kolubara” Assembly, the opening of new open pit is priority of “Electric Power Industry of Serbia, because it is going to solve the problem of supply of the existing thermal capacities, but also to provide raw material for potentially building the future ones.
– We all, that are involved in this business EPS/EPIS/, “Kolubara”, and competent in Ub Municipality, give maximum of our efforts to realize this project – emphasized Mr. Laković. – Although the replacement capacity “Radljevo” is the main subject, as we have already mentioned in the directives for the carrying out of the Main Mining Project, it must not be extracted, but brand new, modern open pit that is going to be pride of Serbian electric industry.
The area of the future open pit “Radljevo” takes about 6,000 hectares, predominantly of agricultural land. It is expected the deepness of the open pit to be between 50 to 100 m. Evaluated exploitation reserves are about 350 million tons of coal. It is planned to exploit the lignite, which is according to evaluation, of a good quality, in three phases. In the first phase, for which the whole necessary equipment is provided, the yearly production will be from 3,5 up to 5 million tons of coal, and that sum is just the lack for current needs of Serbian thermo power plants. In the second phase the capacity will be increased for the next five million tons, and in the third, the open pit will reach its maximum of capacity, depending on needs, i.e. according to building of new thermal capacities. The evaluations show that the maximum yearly production of “Radljevo” could be about 13 million tons of lignite, which is going to last up to the year 2040.
The experts have realized that in the new deposit, the overburden coefficient is extraordinary favorable (3:1), and the parameters concerning the economic viability of the exploitation in this area are very good. The opening of the open pit is great chance for development of Ub citizens.
– I express my gratitude to authorities from “Electric Power Industry of Serbia” and Mining Basin “Kolubara” for their efforts in order to start this capital business at last – said Mr. Darko Glišić, the President of Ub Municipality. We have to be maximal ready, and help by the providing of all necessary conditions for this great job.
The next meeting of the most responsible persons, and planning of further activities connecting with the opening of the new open pit “Radljevo”, future mining hope of EPS/EPIS/, is planned to be held at the beginning of August, where the further steps will be précised concerning the realization of this ambitious project.
Relocation and resettlement
Because of the needs for the opening of new open pit, the complete settlements, e.g. Radljevo and Šarbane, as well as the parts of the settlement Kalenić, Brgule, Stublenica and Paljuvi, are going to be resettled. According to relocation plan about 900 households, as well as public, municipality and industrial structures, will be resettled. At the beginning of the opening, the priorities for the relocation will be substation Kalenić and high voltage line at the west boundary “Tamnava-West Field”, as well as the forming of a new source of raw water for the water pipeline in Kalenic.
Source; RBK
