Coal exploitation Stavalj mine expanding eastward and westward – Production of additional million tons per year planned

The public enterprise JP PEU Resavica, which operates the Stavalj brown coal mine near Sjenica, has submitted a request to the Ministry of Environmental Protection for approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment Study for the project to expand coal exploitation in the eastern and western fields of this deposit.

As stated in the documentation, this involves the continuation of the exploitation of brown lignite coal on the Pester plateau, where the mine is located about 12 km from Sjenica, near the village of Stavalj. The operation of the mine has a long tradition, since the first data on exploitation in this area date back to 1936. The current Stavalj pit was opened in 1976 and exploitation in the Central Field is coming to an end.

The expansion project includes the activation of two new exploitation areas - the Eastern and Western fields, based on verified coal reserves. The total production capacity for the entire mine is planned at 1,000,000 tons per year, which requires the introduction of more modern underground exploitation systems and complex mechanization.

The eastern field covers about 32% of the Stavalj-Sjenica deposit and is divided into 33 exploitation blocks. The coal seam is stable and has an average thickness of 12 meters. The greatest challenges in this part are the proximity of settlements and the need for additional geological research. The opening of the pit is planned to be carried out by drilling a transport and ventilation shaft from the surface.

The western field, which covers 62% of the deposit, is divided into 21 exploitation blocks, and due to the complex geological structure, the area is categorized into three different complexity groups. In this part, excavation is planned using the longwall and bord-and-pillar excavation methods, and for the needs of exploitation, the pit will be opened from three sides - partly from the existing pit, and partly by drilling from the surface.

The Study analyzes in detail the possible environmental impacts of this project, with the aim of defining protection measures and monitoring the situation, in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Environmental Impact Assessment and other relevant legal acts.

The project is being implemented by the company UGALjPROJEKT Belgrade, and according to the submitted documentation, the development of mining exploitation in the eastern and western fields should enable the extension of the mine’s lifespan and the maintenance of the local economy that relies on the work of RMU Stavalj.

I. Z.

JP PEU Resavica

Ministarstvo zaštite životne sredine Republike Srbije

JP PEU Resavica

Stavalj brown coal mine near Sjenica

UGALjPROJEKT Belgrade

Ministry of Environmental Protection

Environmental Impact Assessment Study for the project to expand coal exploitation in the eastern and western fields of the deposit