– We are analyzing different possibilities of expanding our resource base, and the Lublin Coal Basin is one of them. In the future the “Chełm II” deposit may contribute to increasing the value and potential of our Company – explains Włodzimierz Hereźniak, President of the Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa Management Board.
Deputy Prime Minister Jacek Sasin present at the ceremony emphasized: – Construction of a mine is expected by the local communities, especially the residents of Chełm and Rejowiec Fabryczny, and I have no doubt that it will have positive impact on the economic development of the region, and thus will reduce the still high unemployment, proving thousands of new jobs. The Deputy Prime Minister added that: “... development of mining activity in the Lublin Coal Basin is consistent with the Polish national interest, as it contributes to securing the domestic potential of our deposits, and is aligned with the sustainable development strategy pursued by the PiS government.
The exploration concession will enable Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa to carry out additional exploration of the geological and mining conditions, i.e. the size of the deposit, depth of the deposit, thickness of the seams, coal coking parameters and hydro-geological and gas conditions from the perspective of hazards. These efforts are aimed at better designing the possible mining of the deposit. This is important from the perspective of securing the future of Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa – the biggest producer of high quality coking coal in the European Union, for which coking coal brings the highest value as a raw material required for steel production.
– The most important thing for a raw material company like Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa is to ensure access to coking coal resources. JSW intends to do that not just by investing in the deposits that are already accessible, but also by opening up new deposits and new mining levels. The resource base will continue to be expanded, especially in the case of type 35 coking coal. The search for new deposits fits Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa’s development strategy, which aims at securing mining operations until 2030 – emphasizes Tomasz Śledź, Vice-President of the JSW Management Board for Technical Matters.
In accordance with the decision of the Minister of the Environment, JSW has four years for more precise exploration of the deposit. During that time the Company plans to drill five exploratory wells in the “Chełm II” deposit in the “Rejowiec” area. Only after a detailed analysis will the Management Board of Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa make decisions regarding the future of the development of the deposit.
