ECONOMIC - FUEL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700210030-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: R
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 9, 2002
• Sequence Number: 30
• Publication Date: February 27, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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NAR 1952 51-4c
SUBJECT Economic - Fuel
HOW
PUBLISHED Monthly Periodical
WHERE
PUBLISHED Budapest
DATE
PUBLISHED Jan - Feb 1.952
LANGUAGE Hungarian
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CLASSIFICATIOt RLSTF=(^I'?U
SEL6'!TY ;NN CRMATION
CENTRAL INTELL,7,EL O,: AGENCY
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS
7
Hungary
. Magyar Technika, Vol VII, No 1-2, 1952.
REPORT NO.
CD NO.
DATE OF
INFORMATION 1952
25X1A
DATE DIST. 061 Feb 1953
NO. OF PAGES 6
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
ESTIMATE OF HUNGARIAN COAL RESERVES
AND COAL PRODUCTION TRENDS
(Summary of a lecture given at a special meeting of the Committee on
Mining of the Hungarian Academy of Science on 10 December 1951)
The last official estimate of Hungarian coal reserves was made on the baste
of conditions existing on 31 December 1948. Another estimate was recently com-
pleted by experts sent out to the coal-.mining areas by the Ministry of Mining
and Power. The recent estimate, wbich also makes allowance for the amount of
coal mined since the above date, shows only a slight deviation from the previous
figures. The statistics of the National Planning Office have been drawn up on
the basis of this latest data. According to these statistics, which show the
different types of coal, their weight, and their calorific value, Hungarian coal
reeerves present the following picture.
Reservers of Extractable Coal
Percent Average Percent of Total
of Total Calorific Value Recoverable
Tie or Coal Bed height (cal/kg) Calories
Lignites 27,4 i,940 16.0
Brown coals 149,5 3,380 50.I
Borsod coal be['_ 35.9 3,320 36.o
StalgotarJan coal bed 4,1 3,400 4.2
Central Transdanubian coal bed 9.5 3,560 3.0.2
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I
Percent Average Percent of Total
of Total Calorific Value Recoverable
Type or Coal Bed Weight
(cal/kg) Calories
.
Good-quality brown coals 12.5 4,265 16.1
Dorog coal bed 4.4 4,200
Tatabanya coal bed 8.1 4,300 10.6
Black coals 10.5 5,500
Since a considerable increase in estimates of Hungarian coal reserves is ex-
pected, particularly for black coal, good-quality brown coal, and other brows
coals, I shall deal only with the data based on scientific research conducted in
the northern part of the Mecsek and in the central Transdanubian Mountains. An
increase in estimates of the Vas and Zala lignites is also expected, although
the dalorific value of these has little influence on the over-all coal reserves.
The increase in coal production between ?.9?8 and 1951 can be broken down on
a quantitative and a qualitative basis as follows,
Percentages of Various Types of Coal-in Total Annual Production
Year
Black Coal
Good-Quality
Brown Coal
(Ta+..a-Doro,, bed
Other
Brown Coals
L151-1-tea
1938
11.1 .
39.0
43.8
6.1
1939
14..4
39.3
44.8
6,o
1940 --
1945
fflo data/
1946
17. .4
36.5
47.3
4.8
1947
12.0
36.3
45.2
6.5
1948
11.7
37.2
45.0
6.1
1949
11.6
36,9
45.2
6.3
1950
to .6
35,9
45.8
7.7
1951
10.8
33,0
45.9
10.3
By studying the qualitative distribution of coal production in the preced-
ing table it can be established, even without statsitics for the years 1940 -
191E5, that the black coals and the gocd?quality brown coals have shown a tendency
to decrease, that other brown coals show practically no changes, and that the out-
put of lignites hao increased by 70 percent since 1938?
The following table shows the qualitative distribution by types of coal
production on a calorific basis in the years 1938 - 1939 and 1946 ?- 1951.
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Hill
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25X1A
.Percentages of Calorific Output cf Various Types of Coal
in Total Annual Calorific Output
Brown Coals
Average
Calorific
Year
Black Coal
Good Quality
Other
Lignites
Value
(cal/kg)
1938
14.5
44.7
38.0-
2.8
4,272
1939
13.7
45.3
38.3
2.7
4,249
1916
16.2
40.4
41.0
2.4
3,863
1947
16.8
4i.3
38.8
3.1
3,960
1948
16.5
42.3
38.3
2.9
3,950
1949
16.1
41.8
39.1
3.0
3,993
1950
14 7
41.3
40.0
4.0
3,897
1951
15.3
38.6
4o.6
5.5
3,805
Here again the black coals and the good-quality brown coals show a tendency
to decease in contrast with the tendencies to increase of other brown coals and
lignites. Similarly, average calorific value has decreased due to the increased
production of brown coals and lignites.
The following table shows the amount of investment per heating unit and per
ton required for expansion and maintenance of the production of coals of various
qualities.
Trvestments per Unit (Ton and Million Calories)
for Maintainance and Expr.nsion of Coal Production
Coal of Cal
Results
orific Value
exl k
Forints p_r Ton
Forints per
Million C~_1
1,500
2,000
- 2,000
- 2,500
45.1
21.4
2,500?- 3,000 22.1
8.o
3,000
3,500
52.9
16.1
3,500
4,000
35.1
9.6
4,000
4,500
260.0
63.0
4,500
- 5,000
71.5
15.6
5,000
- 5,5u0
51-1
10.0
5,500
6,000
224.0
39.1
Average 54.3
14.2
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The foregoing table shows with striking clarity that the sums allotted for
the expansion of production brought the least favorable returns in the case of
coals in the 5,500-6,000 calory range, whereas the results were excellent in the
case of brown coals, especially high-grade brown coals.
Average Analyses of Hungarian Coals (in percent)
Las received basis]
Calorific
Value
(cal/kg)
Ash
Moisture
Fixed
Carbon
Fixed Car-
bon Plus
Volatile Volatile
Petofibanya
1,750
23
43
14
20
34
Varpalota
2,200
9
47
23
21
44
Borsod
3,200
19
28
27
26
53
South Nograd
3,400
37
13
29
21
50
Kistereuye
3,250
29
19
39
22
52
Ajka
3,550
17
27
31
25
56
Dorog
4,350
20
14
35
31
66
Tatabanya
4,850
12
16
37
35
72
;fomlo
5,300
24
6
59
11
70
Meszhart
(Pecs-)
5,400
20
7
64
9
73
Kg of Coal
Required
for 5,000 Cal
Mining Cost
of 5,000
Cal fillers
Average Pro-
ductior. Cost
(forinta
per tc?n1
Petofibanya
2.86
24.6
86
Varpal.,ta
2.27
12.3
54
Borsod
1.56
14.5
93
South Nograd
1.47
10.7
73
Kisterenye
1.54
16.9
110
Ajka
1.41
12.1
86
Dorog
1-.5
11.3
100
Tatabanya
1.03
8.2
80
Komlo
0.94
14.1
150
Meszhart
(Pecs)
0.93
12.4
133
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10 25X1A
In planning thr. utilization of good-q;1ality brown coals for the period to
1959 inclusive, the following values have boon considered:
Good-Quality Brown Coal in Percent of Over-All Production
1952 21.60
1953 19.60
1954 17.50
1955 16.4o
1956 15.80
1957 15.30
1958 15.10?
1959 15.00
Although the percentage of high-grade brown coal in the total is decreasing,
it can be assumed from the general increase in over-all production that consider-
ably more high-grade brown coal will be mined. By 1954, a 20-percent increase
is expected, and in 1959 65 percent more good-quality brnvn ^_ral i; Lo be pro-
ae_cd ti !LJ 1951. Tae agate coals bituminous shalev77 are not included in
this estimate.
The most important power-producing items of Hungarian heavy industry, much
as metallurgical coke, generator gas, domestic coke, briquettes, and gas, re-
quire great quantities of high-grade brown coal from the mining industry. There-
fore, black coal and good-quality brown coal must be made available to meet the
requirements of heavy industry.
Incidentally, if sulfur could be recovered from gas derived from coal, sul-
fur imports could be cut considerably.
Certain steps have been taken to utilize a combination of types of coal in
the form of coke, but so far experiments have failed to produce the mixture of
Komlo coal which lends itself best to coking.
Domestic coal production was not able to fulfill the increased requirements
of industry in the past plan period. In 1951, coal production amounted to only
95.3 percent of the plan. This figure means a 4.7-percent deficit in the quan-
tt.ty of coal produced and a 5.2?-percent deficit in the calorific output.
The Coal Mining Division of the Ministry of Mining and Power sent its first
plan for fuller exploitation of good-quality browr coal to the National Flanning
Office in March 1949. A second plan was drawn up and transmitted to the Commit-
tee on Mining of the Hungarian Academy of Scienceo or. 16 January 1951.
If the estimated production of the First and Second Five-Year Plans and the
amount of good-quality brown coals to be extracted during that period are con-
sidered, it can be assumed that the total calorif+.c reserves o'' good-quality
brown coals, which are 16.1 percent at present, will suffer only a 0.4-percent
decrease in the next 10 years.
Investments. aiming at an increase in capacity have brought good results
in good-quality brown coal. The figures are advantageous also from the point
of view of production cost per 5,000 calories. Mining costs were: .for Matra
lignite, 2.86 kilograms of coal giving 5,000 calories cost 24.6 filler; for
Varpalota lignite, 2.27 kilograms of coal giving 5,000 calories cost 12.3 fil-
ler; for Dorog good-quality brown coal, 1.15 kilograms giving 5,000 calories
cost 11.3 filler; and for Tata good-quality brown coal, 1.03 kilograms giving
5,000 calories cost 8,2 filler.
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The advantageous figures in the case of Varpalota lignite are due to the
fact that mining is at present conducted on the upper seam. The lower seam,
which is considerably more difficult to mine, is as yet untouched.
The production costs of the'Matra and Varpalota lignites are 86 and 54 fo-
rints per ton; those of the basic coals, Dorog and Total coals, 100 and 80 forints
per ton respectively. The increased utilization of good-quality and other brown
coals will also mean great savings for the industrial plants.
I want to aaggeat certain procedures to be followed by our mines. At pres-
ent, there are 93 mines with the following capacities:
Carloads per Da 1950 1951
UP t u 10 2 3
10 - 25 27 12
25 50 31 28
5r? 75 17 1G
75 - 100 01 14
Over 100 i 20
Total 'i3 93
These figures show the general line of last year's trend, that is, either
abandonment cc enlargement of small plants and further enlargement of medium-
sized and ?...rge plants. The objective should be to turn the :,mall plants into
medium-sized plants and the medium-sized plants into large ones. This policy of
reorganization would allow the kind of concentration a large-scale production
requires.
A further goal for the coal industry is the introduction of certain care-
fully worked out end proved Soviet methods, which include plans for production
and inveatrr,ent as well as technical and labor improvements.
There has been a trend toward a manpower shortage in the coal industry;
therefore, everything possible must be. done to increase labor's ^fficiency
through reorganizations such as the cyclic method and the introduction of cer??
taro technical improvements. Furthermore, in 1951 there was a 300,000-ton defi?-
r_it in the largest good-quality brown coal plant which meant serious difficultira
in pertain branches of the economy.
The above.-described conditions made it necessary to overcome the estimated
shortages in quantity and in calorific value in the next plan period by estab-
lishing mines which will be short lived (3 to 6 years), great in capacity, and
which will mine near the surface. This will enable the elimination of unsatis-
factory conditions existing in the coal.. industry and allow necessary improvements
to be made through research work and reorganization of plants.
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