The Lusatian mining district

Over 200 years of lignite history

The Lusatian lignite mining district is a mining region in southeastern Brandenburg and northeastern Saxony. It includes the currently active lignite mining areas of Nochten, Reichwalde, Welzow-Süd and Jänschwalde. The lignite mined here supplies the Jänschwalde, Schwarze Pumpe and Boxberg power plants, with a combined capacity of approximately 8,000 megawatts.

The Lusatian district produces around one-third of Germany’s lignite, amounting to 60.7 million tonnes in 2018.

18 million tonnes

of lignite per year

Active large-scale opencast mines and power plants

Today, there are two active large-scale opencast mines in the area, the Nochten and Reichwalde opencast mines, mainly south of Weißwasser on the Saxon side. The Nochten opencast mine produces up to 18 million tonnes of lignite a year for Lausitzer Bergbau AG (LEAG), serving as the primary supplier for the Boxberg power plant and the Schwarze Pumpe briquette factory. The Reichwalde opencast mine was opened in the 1980s and was developed solely to supply the nearby Boxberg power plant.

The Lusatian Lakeland

New landscapes with new opportunities

The Lusatian Lakeland is an area of lakes in Lusatia created by the artificial flooding of former opencast mining pits. It is becoming Europe’s largest artificial water landscape and Germany’s fourth largest lake district. Several of the largest lakes are connected by navigable canals, forming a chain of lakes. Tourism development has been increasing steadily over the years.

With two dozen lakes and navigable canals, the Lusatian Lakeland not only has a lot to offer water sports enthusiasts, but also allows active and cultural holidaymakers to experience the spectacular change in landscape and unique cultural treasures on land. The fascinating testimonies to Lusatia’s industrial heritage reflect the adaptability of the region and its people.

6.9 billion

in funding by 2038

Municipal projects – A collaborative decision

Saxony places a high priority on allowing regional stakeholders to have a say in structural development – and the Lusatian mining district is no exception. To this end, the two administrative districts have formed a Regional Monitoring Committee in collaboration with the Saxon State Ministry for Regional Development (SMR). This committee evaluates proposed municipal projects and decides which proposals should receive funding from the structural funding programme. The Monitoring Committee prepares position statements on state projects proposed by the government.

Key stakeholders in the Lusatian mining district

In Lusatia, a large number of stakeholders from politics, business, culture and society have joined forces in various initiatives to tackle issues together. These are people with a bold approach to change, people with drive and innovative ideas who want to work together to advance the region and shape its future.