Poland Silesian coal mining production modernization

In February 2016, the Polish state owned coal mining and trading company, Węglokoks Kraj, and the government’s Central Mining Institute (“GIG”) signed an agreement with Joy Global to begin work on implementing modern roof bolting technology with coal extraction using continuous miners at the “Piekary” underground coal mine in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin.

Prairie Mining Ltd said the Polish coal mining industry has taken formal steps to introduce modern, international standard coal mining technology in order to improve mine profitability, safety and maximise resource extraction.

Given that roof bolting is commonly and successfully used in the overwhelming majority of coal mines around the world, including in Australia, United Kingdom, USA, China and Russia, Prairie has been a strong advocate of the adoption of roof bolting as a standard, safe and cost efficient practice in the Polish coal mining industry.

Nearly two years ago, Prairie commissioned and published the results of its own technical report on roof bolting which received an overwhelmingly positive response in Poland.

In February 2016, the Polish state owned coal mining and trading company, Węglokoks Kraj, and the government’s Central Mining Institute (“GIG”) signed an agreement with Joy Global to begin work on implementing modern roof bolting technology with coal extraction using continuous miners at the “Piekary” underground coal mine in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin.

Roof bolting and continuous miner extraction methods were already successfully implemented in New World Resources “CSM” mine in the Czech Republic over the last two years, which is in the same coal basin as the Upper Silesian coal mines in Poland and shares similar geological and mining conditions.