Pola Bełchatów

Ekspozycja PGE Giganty Mocy


Useful Information

Location:
(51.229438, 19.246115)
Open: Outlook: no restrictions.
Ekspozycja PGE Giganty Mocy: All year Tue-Sun 10-16, last admission 15.
[2021]
Fee: Outlook: free.
Ekspozycja PGE Giganty Mocy:
Adults PLZ 15, Students PLZ 10, Seniors (65+) PLZ 10, Disabled PLZ 10.
Family: Adults (-2) PLZ 30, Children PLZ 5.
[2021]
Classification: SubterraneaMining Museum MineLignite Mine
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:  
Guided tours: Audioguides, D=1.5-2.5 h.
Photography:  
Accessibility:  
Bibliography:  
Address: Pola Bełchatów, Bełchatów Coal Mine, Św. Barbary 3, 97-400 Rogowiec, Tel: +48-44-737-30-00. kwbbelchatow.pgegiek.pl
Ekspozycja PGE Giganty Mocy, Miejskie Centrum Kultury w Bełchatowie, Plac Gabriela Narutowicza 3, 97-400 Bełchatów, Tel: 44-635-19-22, Cell: 503-119-739. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

DEC-1960 lignite discovered.
17-JAN-1975 "Bełchatów" Brown Coal Mine State Enterprise established.
06-JUN-1977 operation of the 1st OCT system (excavator - conveyor - stacker) started.
19-NOV-1980 first lignite extracted.
01-JAN-1999 mine privatized, becoming a joint-stock company.
12-SEP-1999 halfway point of exploitation reached.
2015 mine produces 42.1 million tonnes of lignite.

Geology


Description

Kopalnia Węgla Brunatnego Bełchatów (Bełchatów Lignite Mine) is a huge mine in the centre of Poland representing one of the largest coal reserves of the country. Reserves of 1,930 million tonnes of lignite coal are estimated. There are several coal fields, namely the "Kamieńsk" field, the "Bełchatów" field, and the "Szczerców" field. Two of the fields are already exploited. The mines were started by removing the overburden which now forms an artificial mountain nearby. After the mining has ended the open cast pit will be flooded, forming the deepest Polish lakes. The nearby Tarnobrzeg Lake has been created in 2010 on the site of a former opencast sulfur mine. The mountain with a maximum height of 407 m asl will be used to create ski slopes.

The mine is actually not accessible, it is only possible to have a look from an outlook. It is located 27 km from Bełchatów at Żłobnica. It is open without restrictions and free, we recommend to bring binoculars.

But in nearby Bełchatów in the Municipal Cultural Center is a natural history museum named Ekspozycja PGE Giganty Mocy (Power Giants Exhibition). It is dedicated to lignite mining and electricity production. The interactive exhibition is one of the biggest attractions of the Łódź voivodeship.