A tragic coal mining accident in northeastern Slovenia has resulted in the death of at least one miner, with two others still missing. The incident occurred on Monday evening at the Velenje coalmine when water began flooding the mine.
Marko Mavec, the Director of the coalmine, stated that rescue efforts have been significantly hindered by the accumulation of silt and water, and hopes of finding the two missing miners alive are slim. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
The Velenje mine, part of the state-owned HSE, primarily supplies coal to TPP Sostanj, Slovenia’s last remaining coal-fired power plant. According to Eurocoal, Slovenia’s lignite and brown coal reserves are estimated at approximately 1.244 billion tons, with 346 million tons concentrated in the Velenje region.
The mine uses the Velenje method, a coal extraction technique developed in 1947. This method involves mining more than 500 meters below ground, utilizing natural forces to break and crumble coal layers above the roof supports.
This is not the first fatal accident at the Velenje mine. In 2003, two miners lost their lives in a pillar collapse.
