In October this year. the volume of hard coal sales from Polish mines was 1.1 million tonnes higher than the monthly domestic production of this raw material, according to data from the Industrial Development Agency. In the tenth month of the year, the mines produced approx. 4.4 million tonnes of coal and sold approx. 5.5 million tonnes.
There are still millions of tons of coal waiting on heaps next to Polish mines
/123RF/PICSEL
A month earlier, in September, the volume of coal production was 4.4 million tons, and sales reached 4.5 million tons.
As a result of the October increase in sales, the amount of raw material in the dumps near the mine decreased – at the end of October, 6.7 million tons of coal was stored there, compared to 7.8 million tons a month earlier.
On Tuesday, the Katowice branch of the Agency, which monitors the coal market and the situation in the mining industry, published data on coal production and sales in October this year.
October was another month of sales growth this year, following the pandemic crisis at the turn of spring and summer. In August, the mines managed to balance the extraction and sale of coal at the level of approx. 4.2 million tons, while the September production and sales increased by 200-300 thousand tons compared to August. tone. In October, when the heating season was already underway, sales were significantly higher than a month earlier.
A year ago, in October, the mines produced over 5.4 million tons of coal (1 million more than this year), and sold over 5.5 million tons – similar to October this year.
This year – apart from September and October – also in May and June, when mining was most affected by the coronavirus pandemic, monthly coal sales were higher than the volume of production. In the remaining months, the mines produced more coal than they sold, and the unsold raw material was piled up. In August, for the first time this year, the production and sales volumes were balanced.
According to ARP data, in May this year. Polish mines produced nearly 3.2 million tonnes of hard coal, and sold less than 3.5 million tonnes, and in June, production increased to 3.8 million tonnes, and sales to 4 million tonnes. May and June were the months with the historically lowest monthly volume of coal production and sales in Poland. In July, the monthly production volume reached 5 million tons, and sales were 4.3 million tons. In August, production and sales reached 4.2 million tonnes, and in September 4.4-4.5 million tonnes.
At the end of October this year. 6.7 million tons of coal lay on the dumps near the mine, compared to about 7.8 million tons at the end of September. A year ago, at the end of October 2019, less than 4.7 million tonnes of unsold coal were on the heaps.
From the beginning of this year to May, the number of heaps of coal was systematically increased – in April, the sales volume was by 200 thousand. tonnes lower than the production volume in this period, in March by 500 thousand. tons, in February by 700 thousand. tonnes, and in January – by 1.2 million tonnes less.
In the past year, for eight months, the volume of coal sales was lower than the production volume in those months, and the largest difference – over 900 thousand tonnes. tons – recorded in May 2019. In January this year. the excess of production over sales has been record-breaking so far.
The largest amount of coal on the heaps is still attributed to the largest domestic producer of this raw material – Polska Grupa Górnicza. Already in previous months, representatives of this company signaled that the decline in energy consumption caused by the pandemic resulted in the power plants significantly reducing the demand for coal.
According to ARP data, within 10 months of this year. domestic hard coal extraction amounted to approx. 44.5 million tonnes, and sales of approx. 42.7 million tonnes – this year’s production exceeded sales by approx. 1.8 million tonnes.
For comparison, in the period of 10 months of last year, the mines produced approx. 51.5 million tons of coal and sold about 48.9 million tons. This means a year-on-year decline in the domestic hard coal production by approx. 7 million tonnes and a decrease in sales of this raw material by approx. 6.2 million tonnes.
In the entire last year, Polish mines produced over 61.6 million tonnes of hard coal – approximately 1.8 million tonnes less than the year before. Coal sales decreased year-on-year by 4.1 million tons, to over 58.4 million tons.
As ARP reported on Tuesday, at the end of October this year. Polish hard coal mines employed approx. 80.5 thousand people. people – approx. 300 employees less than a month earlier.
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