ŁUŻYCKO-LUBUSKI MASYW ZŁÓŻ WĘGLA BRUNATNEGO I JEGO ZNACZENIE GOSPODARCZE

Abstract

LUSATIA-LEBUS LIGNITE MASSIF AND ITS ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

Abstract. A large area covered with the Miocene lignite-bearing association is located in the Lower Lusatia and Lebus area in the territory of Poland, Saxony and Brandenburg. In Poland, the Gubin lignite complex is most important in this region, consisting of three large deposits: Gubin, Gubin-Zasieki-Brody and Lubsko. Economic resources/reserves of these deposits are extremely high. More than 3 billion Mg of lignite have been calculated there. The whole coal volume may be used as a fuel for heat power plants and its substantial part fulfils also coal criteria for briquetting and low-temperature distillation. The deposits consist of a few lignite seams, but only two of them: the 2nd Lusatia Seam and the 4th Dąbrowa Seam display real economic significance. The coal seams slightly incline eastward and the depth to the coal top surface increases from ca. 80 m in the western part of the Gubin Deposits to more than 95 m in the Gubin-Zasieki-Brody Deposit. However, thickness of the coal seam increases in the same direction, and, therefore, the best geological/mining conditions are in the central part of the lignite complex. The lowermost conflict level between the environment and mining activity has been forecasted in the same area and, therefore this part of the complex looks the most valuable from the potential exploitation viewpoint. Summarizing, the Gubin lignite complex is concerned as the most valuable one in Poland and it should be placed under special deposit protection, preventing from any development of other ways of investment activity.