Just in: the CSM mine in Stonava, Czech Republic, is winding down operations this month, sending its last chunks of black coal to the surface by end-January. After more than 250 years of digging up deep layers of earth (some shafts go down over a kilometer!), the era of Czech deep coal is closing 👋⚒️
This closure marks more than the end of an industry – it's a symbol of Europe's fast-tracking shift toward cleaner energy. Low global coal prices, rising costs to extract coal from ever-deeper tunnels, and a push for renewables have all teamed up to spell the mine's finale. Across the globe, communities are rethinking coal's role in their energy mix 🌱
Inside the dark tunnels, headlamps danced across steel supports as machines carved the last seams. Miners like Grzegorz Sobolewski, who's thinking of moving to a Polish shaft, share mixed feelings: "It's hard work but good work," he says. "I'll miss the shearer – that machine that slices coal straight from the face."
For decades, Ostrava's mines powered Habsburg-era steel mills and railways, transforming a sleepy rural corner into Central Europe's industrial heartbeat. Now, with the final shaft set to close at month-end, the region faces its next chapter: repurposed sites, new tech hubs, and green jobs might just rise from the coal dust 🚀
Whether you're in Jakarta, Mumbai, or Manila, this story speaks to a global pulse: as we bid farewell to old-school carbon, what's next for our planet and our careers? The last Czech mine is a reminder that big shifts bring fresh opportunities – time to get curious about the future of energy! 💡🌏
Reference(s):
Last Czech deep coal mine closes as centuries-old industry winds down
cgtn.com
