Excavation on panel C-4/C-32 has just commenced. The panel is a symbol of the merging of the Borynia and Zofiówka mine, and of the Jas-Mos mine in the future (in 2013), since it is located in the mining areas of all the three mines.

“We wanted to reach into these deposits even sooner, but it only became possible now, after the merging of Borynia and Zofiówka," said Czesław Kubaczka, the director of the merged Borynia–Zofiówka mine. “What's important is that we have managed to start a panel included in the mining areas of three mines even before the official merging with Jas-Mos, which is planned for 2013. This was the proverbial bullseye, since our potential has already increased,” added director Kubaczka.

 The merging of the mines led to the formation of panel C-4/C-32, which has one of the largest lengths in JSW (1.5 km). The solution is more efficient than creating two panels in two mines. This translates into higher output capacity and the reduction of coal production costs related to drilling galleries or panel reinforcement.

The only limitation of panel C-4/C-32 is the risk of rock bursts. The panel is excavated at the first degree of rock burst exposure, which means, e.g., that the maximum excavation cannot exceed 4,000 tonnes per day, even though the wall’s capacity is much greater.

There are currently six panels in operation in the Borynia-Zofiówka mine, and another panel equipped with a planer complex is to be initiated next week. The mine will easily reach the planned daily output of 15,100 tonnes per day.

The plan of forming a single three-site mine emerged several years ago. In January 2011, pursuant to the decision of the Management Board of JSW, the Borynia and Zofiówka mines were merged and started to operate as a single entity under the name KWK Borynia–Zofiówka. The merging of the two mines is the first stage in the creation of a merged mine. In 2013, the Jas-Mos mine will be attached to the Borynia-Zofiówka mine. Forming a merged mine will result in better utilisation of deposits (as evidenced by the excavated panel C-4/C-32), of production assets, and of plant and equipment. Moreover, thanks to the merging of two mines, the transport of coal to the surface will become much cheaper. The output will be transported via a single shaft, instead of three. The management of a merged mine also has a greater degree of flexibility in the event of a malfunction at the coal transport route. The system is constructed so that at any given time the output transport can be directed to one of the three vertical transportation shafts.

Photo by Sławomir Jaskulski. The historic underground connection between the Borynia and Zofiówka mines occurred in January 2009.