Ugljevik Coal Mine

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Ugljevik Coal Mine is an operating coal mine in Ugljevik, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Mine Name	Location	Coordinates (WGS 84)
Ugljevik Coal Mine	Ugljevik, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina	44.6655036, 18.98854391 (exact)

The map below shows the exact location of the coal mine:

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Project Details

Table 2: Project status

Status	Status Detail	Opening Year	Closing Year
Operating	–	–	–

Table 3: Operation details

Note: The asterisk (*) signifies that the value is a GEM estimated figure.

Capacity (Mtpa)	Production (Mtpa)	Year of Production	Mine Type	Mining Method	Mine Size (km2)	Mine Depth (m)	Workforce Size
–	2	2023	Surface	Open Pit	–	50*	#REF!*

Table 4: Coal resources and destination

Total Reserves (Mt)	Year of Total Reserves Recorded	Total Resources (Mt)	Coalfield	Coal Type	Coal Grade	Primary Consumer/ Destination
206	–	265	–	Subbituminous	Thermal	Ugljevik power station

Table 5: Ownership and parent company

Owner	Parent Company	Headquarters
Rudnik i Termoelektrana Ugljevik AD	Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske AD	Bosnia and Herzegovina

Table 6: Historical production (unit: million tonnes per annum)

Note: The asterisk (*) indicates that the value is an estimated figure based on various factors, including the company's forecasted or reported monthly or quarterly production data, etc.

ROM or Saleable	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Saleable	1.92*	2.19	2.13*	2.07	1.8*	1.9	2

Note: The above section was automatically generated and is based on data from the Global Coal Mine Tracker April 2024 release and the September and December supplements.

Background

Ugljevik Coal Mine is a SURFACE mine in Ugljevik, Republika Srpska, Bosia and Herzegovina. Rudnik i Termoelektrana Ugljevik operates the mine, which is owned by Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske.

The coal mine supplies to 300MW Ugljevik power station which is owned and operated by the same company.

As of 2021, the mine (also called Bogutovo Selo) was producing about 1.8 million tonnes, according to the company's website. This level of production was reportedly achieved in the 11 months of 2022, with a plan to bring up to 1.9 million tonnes by the end of the year. 2023 production reached 2 million tonnes.

Expansion

The company's website and other media sources mention the plan to open a new surface mine Ugljevik Istok in the coming years, from which the thermal power plant will be supplied with coal in the future.

"The deposits are specific, at an angle, they are difficult to carry out works and there are frequent landslides. There was never a single moment when the final works were being carried out at the Bogutovo Selo to close the open pit (presumably the existing surface mine), as well as investment and surface works on the overburden of the (new) open pit Ugljevik Istok 1. The chemical composition of the coal is slightly different compared to the old mine, revitalization and adjustment of combustion should be done in the boiler, on new he operation of the thermal power plant due to coal came into question, and that is the case right now.", says Dragiša Vidaković, executive director for coal production and mine development.

In June 2023, 4 new Belaz dump trucks were put into operation, the purchase which should significantly upgrade the mechanization at the coal mine.

A media source from October 2023 suggested that the new mine was already put in operation but the local residents of Majevicke villages are left without access roads and water and electricity after the expansion of the mine, while awaiting for the outcome of the expropriation process.

As of late 2024, the mine was not producing and Ugljevik power station suspended operations for 10 days in early December 2024 due to unavailability of coal and coal quality issues. The lack of coal is the result of long-term problems, among which is the expropriation of land, which led to a decrease in the amount of coal in landfills and the impossibility of mine development. Operations of the power plant were suspended for the second time in late December due to failures of several transmission lines. The plant restarted operations 10 days later in January 2025.

The remaining reserves of the mine would only sustain the power plant’s operation for around seven years, while it is said to run until 2050. In January 2025, it was announced that the government will return the ownership of the concession of Ugljevik Istok 2 (aka Delići, Peljave-Tobut, and Baljak Coal Mines) amid power plant crisis.

Environmental and Social Issues

The residents of the nearby Bogut village report environmental problems such as dust. Half of the hamlet is covered by an exploitation field that also goes through the middle of the road that passes through the entire hamlet of Vidovići, so half of the hamlet is scheduled to be expropriated in the foreseeable future. Local residents complain about the unfair expropriatiation process and the uncertainty about the field expansion.

As of October 2023, with the expansion of the mine, the local residents of Majevicke villages are left without access roads and water and electricity. Peaceful protests took place. A video report about on the situation was made available.

Articles and Resources

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of world coal mines, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Mine Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.