Materiały konferencyjne SEP 1993 - tom 1

Underground Exploitation Schcx)l '93 billion DM with which more than 1.2 million jobs have been secured. The privatization revenue in this time ainounts to 35 billion DM (chan 7) 2. Raw materials Industry in G.D.R. The Raw materials Industiy in G.D.R. consisted in the first line of the lignite mining and of potash mining in the second line (chart 8). In addition uranium, tin, copper, pyrite, nickel, spar and non-metallic minerals were mined. From these activilies today only mines on lignite, potash and non-metallic minerals are lefl (chart 9). 3. Lignite Mines THE ROLE OF LIGNITE MINING INDUSTRY IN THE GDR. Lignite mining industry played a key role in the energy supply of the former German Democratic Republic. Until 1989, about 96 % of the primary energy consumption was based on lignite. Reason for the high dependence from lignite was the (ideological reasoned) attempt for autarky and on the other hand the lack of convertible C'hard") currency. DEPOSITS AND COMFANIES. The two largest lignite deposits are placed between the cities of Magdeburg and Leipzig (the so called ''middle-german recource") (chart 10) and in the Cottbus region near the Polish border ("Lausitz resource"). The deposits are of tertiary origin. The thickness of the seams reaches up to 10 m; the calorific value is about 8800 kJ/kg. The overburden ratio results in 4.4 : 1 and will increase up to 6:1 in the next years depending on the open pits which will remain in production. In two large combinates (companies), the Braunkohlenkombinat Bitterfeld, mining the middle german resource, and the combinate Senflenljerg, at the Lausitz resource, lignite was mined in 39 large open pit mines (1988). In 1988, in total about 310 million tons of lignite have been produced, 1353 million m3 of overburden had to be removed and about 1720 million m3 of water were pumped. In 1988, 35 briquetting plants, several tar-factories and power stations processed or used the lignite. CHANGES CAUSED BY THE UNIFICATION. Because of the unification of the two german states and the introduction of a different economic system dramatic changes took place in east german lignite industry. The changes were accelerated by the offer of cheap foreign coal and gas on the international markets, caused by a Iow DM-$-exchange ratę. 12 Tom II