The assembly sites in the Kolubara Mining Basin represent one of the largest construction areas in Serbia, as the most extensive installation of mining equipment in the basin’s history is currently underway, said Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) General Director Dušan Živković after visiting works in Vreoci and Kalenić.
Four bucket-wheel excavator–conveyor–stacker (BTO) systems are being prepared, two for Field E and two for the Radljevo mine, which will be the future backbone of Kolubara lignite production. At the same time, 10 main mining machines with a total weight of 16,000 tons are being installed, along with 23 drive stations and a total of 40 kilometers of conveyors. According to Živković, this is the largest installation of mining equipment ever carried out in the Kolubara Mining Basin.
He emphasized that Field E, in all long-term coal production development plans, is the only active open-pit mine in the eastern part of the Kolubara Basin, with a projected annual capacity of 12 million tons of coal. In addition, the introduction of new mining systems at the Radljevo mine will create the conditions for long-term production stability.
For this reason, Živković stressed the importance of works progressing according to schedule and meeting deadlines at all assembly sites.
Ivan Janković, Assistant Minister of Mining and Energy for Geology and Mining, stated that from January to September, EPS produced 11% more coal compared to the same period last year.
Ensuring energy security requires continuing this trend of increased production, with the goal of reaching the projected 34 million tons of coal next year. This is why it is important to make maximum efforts to complete the installation of mining systems. The Ministry will continue to actively support investment projects, Janković added, noting that the total value of investments in new mining equipment in Kolubara exceeds 450 million euros.
