Bosnia & Herzegovina

Coal has a vital importance for B&H's economy - as coal-fired power plants produce more than 70% of the country's energy. Having geological reserves in almost 10 bln tons of coal - 60% of which is presented with lignite, 35% with sub-bituminous and 5% with bituminous coal - Bosnia & Herzegovina is self-sufficient with thermal coal.

Most of the country's coal reserves are concentrated in 4 coal basins: Tuzla, Middle Bosnian, Ugljevik and Gacko. More than 80% of the coal is being extracted in surface (open pit) mines.

At the Communist era B&H produced about 18 mtpa of coal; at the 1990s the coal production shrunk significantly (to only 1 mtpa in 1996) but in the 2000s the coalmining began to grow. Currently B&H produces about 10 mtpa of thermal coal - and 100% supplies its power plants with fuel. The country doesn't import thermal coal but exports small volume in neighboring countries.

At Yugoslavia time B&H produced some volume of coking coal for supply of a coke-chemical plant in Lukavec (that produces coke for a large steel mill in Zenica, now a part of Arcelor-Mittal). Currently GIKIL coke-chemical facility imports 100% of coking coal.

Note: all figures are given for both parts of the country - Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Republika Srpska - together.