Poland’s JSW launches a new longwall at Pniówek mine with 490 thousand tons of coal reserves

Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa (JSW), Europe’s largest coking coal producer, has commissioned a new Pw-1 longwall in seam 361 at the Pniówek mine. Its estimated reserves are estimated at about 490,000 tons of high-quality coking coal type 35.1, which is in demand by the metallurgical industry, according to a press release.

The longwall will be developed in two stages: initially, the length of the working face will be 97 m, and later it will be increased to 245 m. The total length of the longwall is 785 m, and the seam thickness exceeds 3 m. Operation will continue until approximately July 2026.

Modern equipment was used to set up Pw-1: 160 sections of JZR-HBW-14/41 and Glinik-JZR 11/26 mechanized supports, a JOY 7LS22 combine, as well as PSJZR-850 and PAT 200 conveyors with a PAT/WB-1300 crusher. To prepare the new longwall, miners completed 3,485 m of preparatory workings, and the installation of the complex itself took two months.

Currently, four longwalls are being developed simultaneously at the Pniówek mine. In total, JSW operates 21 longwalls and about 60 preparatory workings. Last week, the company also launched the BW-1 longwall at the Budryk mine with reserves of 1.6 million tons. This marks the beginning of the exploitation of a significant area with total resources estimated at nearly 12 million tons.

All new JSW production facilities are designed as part of the “Efficient Mine” program, which is a key element of the company’s Strategic Transformation Plan.

“At JSW, we are consistently launching new longwalls, implementing our production plans. At the same time, we are facing market challenges – low coking coal prices and an unfavorable exchange rate. These factors are affecting the company’s financial situation,” said Adam Rozmus, JSW’s Vice President of Technical and Operational Affairs.

As GMK Center reported earlier, JSW has officially launched the ambitious METH2GEN project, aimed at combating mine methane and using it to produce cheap hydrogen. The total budget for the initiative is €25.6 million, of which more than €20 million is being financed by the company itself.