PRAGUE, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Czech Republic will close its last hard coal mine at the end of January, marking the end of about 250 years of coal mining, state-owned company OKD announced Wednesday.
The closure of the CSM mine in the Moravian-Silesian region will lead to the layoff of 750 workers, with another 150 to follow after the coal preparation plant shuts down on Feb. 28.
"From an economic, personnel, and legislative point of view, any further extension of mining would no longer make sense," OKD CEO Roman Sikora said.
Energy expert Ivan Novesky said that while coal use in power generation is declining, the closure poses strategic challenges for other industries such as steelmaking.
