The 2008 Mining Yearbook Appeared

OSTRAVA – The seventeenth Mining Yearbook, published by the Czech Mining Authority in collaboration with the Employers` Association of Mining and Oil Industries with a circulation of 1.1 thousand copies, has just appeared in Ostrava. Despite the recent depression, mining continues to rank among the important sectors of the national economy.

In 2008, the marketable output of bituminous coal in the Czech Republic reached almost 12.7 mil. tons which corresponds to almost 16.7 mil. tons of gross output. The marketable output of brown coal and lignite reached almost 43.4 mil. tons, therefore the gross output exceeded 47.7 mil. tons. As regards crude oil, 41.2 thousand tons have been extracted – in addition to the output of the MND group, which does not disclose its results. As at the end of last year, the natural gas stock level in the RWE Transgas storage tanks exceeded 1 billion cubic metres. The Diamo state-owned company extracted 117 thousand tons of uranium ore, from which 275 tons of yellowcake concentrate were produced.

The mining companies have paid over CZK 15.127 billion to the state budget in compensation for mining operations in the allotment. The payment to the state budget in compensation for the extracted minerals reached CZK 168.728 billion. Municipalities have received payments in the amount of CZK 506.782 billion.

In operations that are subject to the supervision of the state mining authority, 10 fatal injuries and 1039 other injuries were recorded. Utility raw materials mining employs almost 32 thousand miners, of which almost 16 thousand work in underground mines. At least four times as many individuals found employment in supplying firms and services.

The information included in the 2008 Mining Yearbook is also available on the Internet at www.cbusbs.cz.

(lh)