MINEX Forum

Tag: EU energy transition

  • Poland Set to Remain EU’s Last Coal Producer Until 2049 Despite Losses

    Poland Set to Remain EU’s Last Coal Producer Until 2049 Despite Losses

    Poland will continue mining coal until at least 2049, despite the sector’s chronic unprofitability, due to a binding agreement signed between the government and labor unions in 2021, according to Interia Biznes. The agreement legally fixes the coal phase-out date, making any earlier shutdown politically and socially difficult.

    The issue has gained renewed attention after the Czech Republic closed its last coal mines at the end of January. From February 1, Poland effectively becomes the only European Union member state still extracting coal, highlighting its exceptional position within the bloc’s energy transition.

    Coal output in Poland has been declining for decades. Production peaked at around 180 million tons in 1989, before falling to 102 million tons in 2000, 76.5 million tons in 2013, and approximately 44 million tons in 2025. Despite this sharp contraction, the industry remains heavily subsidized.

    Domestic coal production is currently loss-making and sustained through state budget support. Coal sells on the Polish market for about 458 zloty (roughly $114) per ton, while production costs are estimated at 944 zloty (around $236) per ton, underscoring the scale of ongoing financial support required to keep the sector operating.

  • Czech Village Pushes Back Against EU Lithium Mining Plans Amid Fears of History Repeating Itself

    Czech Village Pushes Back Against EU Lithium Mining Plans Amid Fears of History Repeating Itself

    Residents of Cinovec, a remote Czech village near the German border, are mounting growing resistance to a planned lithium mine that the European Union views as a cornerstone of its critical raw materials strategy. The community of roughly 100 people — shaped for generations by the legacy of coal mining — fears that Europe’s renewed appetite for extraction will once again put local health, land and livelihoods at risk.

    Mining was once the foundation of the former Czechoslovakia’s industrial economy, particularly in the Ústí region, where up to 80 coal sites operated between the 1940s and 1960s. But decades of pollution, health hazards and economic decline led to the closure of the final mine in 1993. For residents like Josef Fasmann, childhood memories of coal dust turning a snowman black remain symbolic of what the region endured.

    Three decades later, mining companies have returned — this time pursuing lithium, a metal central to the EU’s strategy for electric vehicles, renewable technologies and defence applications. Geomet, a public-private venture backed in part by Brussels, is overseeing a $1.94-billion lithium project in Cinovec, believed to sit atop one of Europe’s largest untapped deposits. The Czech Geological Survey estimates that the site could hold around 3% of global lithium reserves, making it critical to the EU’s ambition to reduce dependence on imported refined lithium, which today stands at nearly 100%.

    Lithium demand is expected to triple by 2040, according to the International Lithium Association, and the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act aims to fast-track domestic extraction. Yet residents fear that the environmental and social costs — once familiar from the coal era — are being overlooked. Community groups warn that while the EU promotes the project as essential for energy security and defence, the risks of pollution, industrial damage and disruption to local life remain largely unaddressed.

    The tension encapsulates a broader dilemma for Europe: balancing strategic resource security with public acceptance in regions still scarred by the legacy of extractive industries. As the bloc pushes for mining to power its green transition, Cinovec is emerging as a key test of whether communities will accept a return to the model they thought they had left behind.

  • Lithium Mining Plans Resurface in Serbia Amid EU Interest

    Lithium Mining Plans Resurface in Serbia Amid EU Interest

    Serbia’s lithium mining plans, previously shelved in 2022 following widespread protests, have re-emerged. Despite Prime Minister Ana Brnabić’s earlier announcement that the controversial Rio Tinto-backed Jadar project was terminated, recent reports suggest the multinational company continues preparatory activities. These include land acquisitions and community sponsorships in the Loznica region, raising concerns about resumed extraction efforts.

    Germany and the EU, prioritizing lithium for energy needs, seem willing to collaborate with Serbia’s right-wing government, led by Aleksandar Vučić, despite ongoing allegations of authoritarianism. While Vučić views lithium mining as a missed economic opportunity, Green Party representatives in parliament have demanded stricter protections for affected communities. The revival of mining plans risks undermining public trust in the EU accession process, given the perceived double standards regarding environmental and democratic values.