Mining Operations in Poland

Belchatów power plant in the Lódz region is the largest in Poland, supplying almost 20% of the nation's energy. Each year its chimneys belch more than 31 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. A large portion of the coal that supplies Belchatów comes from the nearby opencast mine. The changes in the landscape already caused by this mine are plain to see. The burnt-out surrounding is littered with heaps of coal waste, trucks and excavators. Plans to expand mining in Poland are underway in several other areas - some of which are dangerously near Poland's famouse Lake Goplo, the cradle of the state. One of the big worries is the effect mining will have on the water levels in these lakes, along with the fragile ecosystems and the valuable tourism trade that relies on them.