SITUATION AND OPERATIONAL METHODS OF SLOVENIAN COAL MINES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000400490004-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 29, 2013
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: November 23, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/29 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000400490004-9
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY --Yugoslavia
SUBJECT Situation and Operational Methods of
Slovenian Coal Mines
PLACE
ACQUIRED ----
DATE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF INFORMATION
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NO. OF PAGES 50X1
NO. OF ENCLS. 1
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SUPPLEMEN1
REPORT NO.I
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
1? All Slovenian coal mines are underground deep mines, gaseous and with
large quantities of water. The coal is brown coal or lignite
and the
coal seam is normally very thick. The brown coal mines are Trbovlje,
Zagor~e, Rrastnik, Lasko, Zabukovca.and. Senovo; lignite coal. mines are
Velenje, Kocevje, St Janz and Crnomelj.
2. Trbovl a -This*the oldest coal mine in Slovenia and is situated on the
river Sava. This mine is modern and mechanized. A wide front is opened
length of 300 feet or more and the coal is loaded on shaker con-
with veyors a . The shaker conveyors deliver the coal to belt conve
convey to. the main shaft. Here the coal is loaded into mine cars eanndch
transported through the shaft to the coal cleaning after which it is classified. Production of coal todaywashinZ
195y atation
Trbovlje is between 25 hundred and three thousand long tons coal) with approximately 14 to 15
nearly 75 feet thick and the space fPer cent ash. The seam
rom which the coalo is mi ediout has
to'be filled in with crushed rock. The
high and it is necessary to support pressure in the mine is very
supports are used. Because ohe number oof?necceess necessary and steel
impossible to use heavy underground coal mining supports, it is
n8 machines.
Slovenian coal mines use mechanization similar to that used in German.
coal mines because the coal seam structure is the same. Al]. the mines
use roof supports because of their depth, heavy The coal seam has to be divided into several pmining eheig
and much hts becauser?
of the thickness. The rock used to fill in empty space is, crushed out-
side the mine to a size of approximately rock is usually transported thro?ae inch in diameter. This
The pipes are 8" in diameter and a high water pressure is aused tto force
the crushed rock underground. The water must
?
which is an expensive operation. then be piped out again
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/29 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000400490004-9
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/29 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000400490004-9
buxi
CO@IDENTIAI,,
Known coal reserves will last approximately 15 years at the present
production. There are additional reserves but deeper drilling is
necessary. The additional reserves are not expected to be extensive.
The coal from Trbovlje has approximately 48 hundred calories per one?'
kilogram of coal (1 calorie equals 3.969 BTU).
Trbovlje has a 36,000 kw modern steam turbine power station. The capacity
of this station is to be increased to 60,000 kw or more. The boilers are
heated with fine coal tailings from the coal washing station. The repair
shop at Trbovlje.has been enlarged and modernized since World War II and is
now f5l
7 operated as a new state-owned factory. It manufactures different
types of conveyors (belt, chain, shaker and others), small and large
heists, small'shovels, mining cars, shafts, and accessories. This factory is
also used as a consulting mining plant. Trbovlje has a modern, cement mill
with a daily capacity of approximately 350 long tons of cement. There is
also a brick factory located at the mine.
3. Za gore -Thi,sis the second largest brown coal mine in Slovenia.; It is
west of the Trbovlje mine. The production at the Zagorje mine will be
j.Aereased because of the sma .l ,reserves at Trbovlje As Zagorje increases
production, Trbovlje will decrease its production holding an even total
pu-aet.on. :The reserves at Zagorje are much larger than at Trbovlje.
The,3,arge undeveloped, coal fields lie northwest of Zagorje High;
r0unti s divide the Zagorje;coal valley from the Trbovlje coal val.ls
Both mines are ;on the main railroad y'
tjublJana .and ?.,aWeb.:
Zagex'je's production today Lt95J is two thousand metric tons of washed
coal. The coal has; approximately the same calories per kilo as coal from
Trbovlje. However,-the percentage of .sulfur is one-tenth to two-tenths
cent hi
he ' Ths
g
r1 cgal seam ip~Ge
..,:.; , , or re, fet thick and mdnit
4e tdan a the si
m
s
. ; . ?
e as att Trbovt
T*o ,-large' hoiete were recently' purchaq6
.d. Therl3e hoists will be ,placaed
I i't,twO , yertical ; gha ft$$ .being , d lied in two, new coal mines near Zagor je.
These two shafts will be in operation by April or. May 1954+ and will
inC.ease prod.u Cton cohaiderably.
It
- The Hrastnik mine is situated on
the
.
ver east of
rbgvlae . - It has two rcoal Bea= and the tow
, -v
'
s
fi
n
s
itwated between thap..
T e$al ,1 seams r inelined ,and the mine gets deer as the seams are
m ?e '`9'ttt. Additional, hoists and a `
hates: are weeded' dn order to; maintain
-the r.aeztt& tape city. The. shafts end,?ihoists now in -operation, are old
06 P- . and are being used, at, tahe -rate of ' 100%' overload. ? The : coal,
fra stirdk is. nearly the same i i:tPAIIV.a's coaa fromn!.Trbov1je; it is
of, bitt9r quality' as the mine..goes -deeper, . Coal is. transported under
gr'otind to . tie.' wash plant. ; at :.Trbovl je $ , tnik -produces. 1200.' to 1.500
.ong tons of coal-'daily, and . . has l;6tge-1ireserves. The coal seams have
metchane,gas.. Operations- axe.. -dangerous. -becatise of the inclined: coal
Seams. ~ the increasing; underground, pressiaxe . Water --increases with
depth and the pumping station must. operate 24 hours per day. Large fans
carry -fresh air to the miners :and., a-'constant: -watch,is maintained in the
mine for safety. -reasonsi.. Hrastnik has improved' its- operations since i
World War II by addin
ahake
g
raoveynrs chi aid blnvo
,,an,cet coeyrs.
.