Družba Open Pit
Fascinating view of a massive open pit coal mine
The vantage point near the village of Pískový Vrch provides a view of the Družba coal mine. The open pit produces around 2 million tonnes of coal per year from the Antonín coal seam. Claystones, used in the production of the lightweight aggregate Liapor and in clay sorbents and zeolites for environmental applications, are mined as well. The view of the open pit is hemmed in by the panorama of the Krušné Hory Mts. and by factories in Vřesová and Nové Sedlo.
Dozens of underground and surface mines operated in the region of Sokolov as late as the mid-20th century. The underground mines were gradually closed down and operations shifted to surface mining, which peaked in 1983 with a production of nearly 23 million tonnes of coal. Mining activities in the district affect around 50 km2.
