Čehotina will be returned to the trough in 2024

According to the current dynamics of the works, the coal mine will return the Ćehotina river to its old bed in the second half of 2024 on the part that passes through the Potrlica mine.

This is stated in the Elaborate on environmental impact assessment of coal mining at the Potrlica surface mine in the period from 2020 to 2025.

Ten years ago, the mine moved Ćehotina to the edge of the Surface Mine due to the progress of mining operations, and the entire investment cost several million euros.

The study did not say how much it would cost the company to restore the river to its riverbed.

In order to relocate the Ćehotina, Rudnik had to build a dam in Durutovići, in order to divert the river from its former course, and build two tunnels, as well as two concrete channels through which the Ćehotina currently flows.

As stated in the Project, in the period from 2020 to 2025, coal exploitation will take place at the Potrlica open pit, on the right side of the concrete channel of the relocated Ćehotina river.

"Thereby, a 150-meter-wide protective belt will be left from the channel to the contour of the surface mine on the ground until the end of the projected period, that is, the end of 2025. The protective belt should enable the stability of the channel and prevent a greater penetration of groundwater towards the open zone of surface water until the return of the Ćehotina river along its natural course is carried out," the document states.

In this period, conditions will be created for the exploitation of 9.600.000 tons of coal.

"Projected annual volume of coal exploitation in the period 2020-2021. is 1.200.000 tons per year, and in the period 2022-2025. 1.800.000 tons per year. For the exploitation of these quantities of coal, it is necessary to excavate 46.000.000 cubic meters of overburden within the projected period. Complete amounts of overburden will be deposited in the excavated area at the internal disposal site of the surface mine. In the period from 2020 to 2025, it is necessary to carry out two significant investment activities. "Returning the Ćehotina river to its original route of its natural course through a watertight channel across the disposal area (according to the dynamics of the Project - the second half of 2024), which will enable further exploitation of coal within the Pljeval basin," the project states.

In addition to returning Ćehotina to the old bed, the Mine plans to move the crushing plant to a new location in the southeastern limestone rim of the surface mine in the second half of 2020, which will enable further operation of the dumper.

"As part of the Project, a location has been reserved for the construction of a number of buildings of the functional unit Maintenance - Grevo. Space for the construction of these facilities will be obtained by expanding the plateau where the preventive maintenance hall - Grevo - has already been built. For the construction of these facilities, it is necessary to carry out activities and prepare technical documentation in accordance with the Law on Spatial Planning and Building Construction", the project states.