1.      Introduction

Initially the reader is referred to Combustion File 177 for an overview of [GLOSS]coal[/GLOSS], coal age and [GLOSS]coal rank[/GLOSS]. In Combustion File 178, an overview is given of the global proven coal reserves at the end of 2001, along with global statistics of coal production and consumption in 2001.

In this Combustion File, more detailed information is given of the national proven reserves and production in Europe.

Further, a brief summary is given of the geographical distribution of the known coal deposits in Europe along with a regional commentary of the coal types/ranks available.

2.      Reserves and production data

The estimated national proven reserves of coal in Europe at the end of 2001 are presented in Table 1.

Table 2 shows the overall national production data in 2001 for Europe and the number of year of reserves available if this production rate were maintained.

Table 1: Proven national coal reserves in Europe at end of 2001
[Source: BP statistical review of world energy 2002]

Notes to Tables 1

Proven reserves of coal – Generally taken to be those quantities that geological and engineering information indicates with reasonable certainty can be recovered in the future from known deposits under existing economic and operating conditions.

Table 2: Total national coal production in Europe in 2001
[Source: BP statistical review of world energy 2002]

Notes to Table 2
Reserves/Production (R/P) ratio – If the reserves remaining at the end of the year are divided by the production in that year, the result is the length of time that those remaining reserves would last if production were to continue at that level.

3.   Qualitative overview of coal available nationally and regionally in Europe

In the following paragraphs, reserves of coal will frequently be described in terms of their geological age. In “CF177 What is coal?” the general relationship between geological age and coal rank was described in tabular form. This Table is reproduced below as an aid to reader in assessing the available coal reserve descriptions below.

Table 3: Geological ages and main coal formation periods

The inclusion of Peat as a type of coal is almost universal and therefore a class of Fossil Fuel – see CF84.

In Europe, coal deposits of the Carboniferous and Tertiary geological periods are present in a series of basins stretching from the United Kingdom in the west to Turkey in the East.

The full spectrum of coals is present from anthracite to lignite. Most of the accessible deposits have been extensively mined for at least 175 years.

3.1       Bulgaria

Bulgaria has deposits of sub–bituminous coal and lignite mainly in the Western Region of the country.

3.2   The Czech Republic

The Czech Republic has numerous deposits of coals ranging in rank from anthracite to lignite. The majority of coal produced, however is low volatile bituminous coal.

3.3       France

France has two large Carboniferous basins in the Lorraine and Calais areas and contains high volatile bituminous coals. Lignite is found in the Provence region and small, scattered deposits are known to be present in Western and South-Western France.

3.4       Germany

Germany produces Carboniferous coals mainly from the basins of Aachen, Ruhr and Saar and coal ranks from these areas range from high volatile bituminous coal to anthracite.

The [GLOSS]Brown coal[/GLOSS]s of Germany are of the Tertiary age and significant deposits are found in three basins: The Rhein, The Halle Leipzig Borna and The Lower Lausitz. These deposits are generally mined by the open cast method.

3.5       Greece

In Greece, Tertiary lignites are mined throughout the country, mainly in the north. Some of the lignite seams are over 40m in thickness.

3.6       Hungary

Hungary produces bituminous coal from the South-West region, mined under difficult conditions.

Lignite of the Tertiary Period is found to the North of the North-East/South-West “belt”.

3.7   Poland

Poland has large reserves of coal and a long established coal mining industry.

Bituminous coal production in Poland is centred around three major coalfields: Upper Silesia, Lower Silesia and Lublin. Coals are primarily high volatile bituminous. Lublin coalfield is extremely large with enormous reserves.

Tertiary lignites are found in the Central and South-Western regions of the country with some seams up to 60m in thickness.

3.8       Romania

In Romania the bulk of production is of lignite and sub bituminous coal with the most important coalfield being that of Jiu.

Other areas contain deposits of low volatile bituminous coal at Banat and lignite at Oltenia.

3.9   Spain

Spain has a low volatile bituminous coal basin in the Leon region.

Spanish lignites are located at Teruel and the fuel is used extensively for power generation.

Other lignite deposits are found at Calaf and Mequinenza again used for power generation.

3.10       Turkey

Turkey has considerable reserves of Carboniferous bituminous coals and Tertiary brown coal in the Zonguldak and Elbistan regions respectively.

In Elbistan, a seam of Lignite exists that is 84m in thickness. This seam is extracted by opencast mining techniques and used for power generation.

Other brown coal seams occur widely across the country and are worked on a smaller scale.

3.11       United kingdom

The United Kingdom has a series of coal bearing basins distributed throughout the country. The coals are principally bituminous of the Carboniferous Age with some anthracite.

Scotland contains large reserves of high volatile bituminous coal.

The Yorkshire-Nottinghamshire region is the most important coal producing area in the United Kingdom.

South Wales, once the principal coalfield still produces high quality bituminous coal and anthracite.

Tertiary lignites are found in South-west England

Large deposits of Lignite are found in Northern Ireland the latter is planned for use in power generation.

3.12  Other European Countries

Albania has small and isolated deposits of sub bituminous coal and lignite. The small amounts of coal produced are used for local industrial use.

Austria has a number of small coal deposits including anthracite and bituminous coals and a singular deposit of Tertiary lignite. Mining is on a very small scale.

Belgium has the Carboniferous coalfield of Kempen in the North, which produces all of Belgium’s coal. Coal rank ranges from anthracite to low volatile bituminous.

Smaller deposits are known in the South but mining has long ceased because of thin seams and difficult mining conditions.

Denmark has reserves of Tertiary lignites at Herning but these reserves are no longer worked.

Ireland has coal deposits of the Carboniferous Age and large deposits of Peat.

The coal is anthracite in the South and medium volatile bituminous in northwest.

Apart from peat harvesting, coal mining in Ireland has generally been on a small scale only.

In Italy, carboniferous coals are found in the Alps and Sardinia. Tertiary lignites are also found in the Central Apennines. Coal mining in Italy is on a very small scale.

The Netherlands has coal seams of the Carboniferous Age but at great depth. No coal mining is presently carried out.

Portugal has anthracite of the Carboniferous Age in the northwest.

Bituminous coal and Lignite is also found but production is small.

4.      Further national/regional information

Other world regions – The Americas, Africa and the Middle East, the Former Soviet union and the Asia Pacific Region are dealt with separately in Combustion Files 192 and 194-196 inclusive.

Sources

BP statistical review of world energy 2002
http://www.bp.com/centres/energy2002/index.asp

Source of reserves data – World Energy Council

Walker, S. Major Coalfields of the World. IEA Coal Research, 2000, ISBN 92-9029-342-X

Thomas, L. Practical Coal Geology, John Wiley and Sons, 1992, ISBN 0-471-93557-3

Acknowledgements

Our acknowledgements and thanks are due to BP for the concise and clear information made openly available in their review of world energy and IEA Coal Research for information provided in “Major World Coal Fields”.