Economy

Mining

Short History of Mining
Coal was first discovered in the Jiu Valley around 1787 or 1788, when the Austrian general Landau and his army were defending the Valcan pass from a Turkish invasion. During a cold autumn night the soldiers set small fires in the trenches in order to get warm. The general afraid of being seenordered the soldiers to extinguish the fires. To the soldiers surprise the fire could not be extinguished because the rocks around the pit continued to burn..

The general then decided to use the burning coals against the Turks. The army then made big pilesof the burning stones and lit them when the Turks could easilysee them. The Turks seeing the mountains burning became fearfuland retreated for the Danube thinking the Austrian army was ten times bigger than their own. The existence of the surface of the coal allowed for local exploitation, in the so called "village mining".

The village mining eventuallyattracted the attention of some businessmen, that began the surface exploitation of coal in Vulcan, Petrosani and Petrila from 1840; among these business men were the Hoffmann brothers and Carol Maderspach. In 1857 the first coal coking plant was established in Uricani and in 1859 here started the first mining exploitations. Although the extracted coal was of high quality, its extraction was slowed down because of the lack of quality communication and transportation system.

Until the opening of the railroad from Simeria - Petrosani in August 18 1870, the coal transportation was done with team of animalswhich would drive the coal through both the Merisor pass and the Dealul Babii pass for the Ardeal. Once the communication methods were improved, the systematic exploitation in the Jiu Valley coal basin began; both state and private coal companies were formed.

The Uricani-Valea Jiului was established in 1890 and was controlled by Credit Lyonnais (a French Bank). The lack of transportation and the bad roads continued to be a problem, the coal exploitation in the Uricani region was plaguedwith interruptions and even stopped between 1932 and 1946. In 1946 the geological field works re - begin, and in 1947 the first coast gallery gives production, passing through all coal layers.

From 1956, a railway connected the towns of Uricani, Lupeni and Petrosani , providing a modern access way in the western part of the valley. From 1986 it was lengthned to includeValea de Brazi. The year 1980 marks the start of the coal exploitation at Campu lui Neag, using surface mining techniques. At that time the communist regime was in both an energy and political crisis and on the basis of some preliminary fieldwork demanded the start of the exploitation.

The villagers were exiled despite their opposition. The falsity of the idea of energy equilibration with the million of tons of coal, supposed to be under the village was observed after the disaster happened. The sleazy coal layers, inserted with layers of sterile rocks, proved to be inefficient for exploit in a quarry, so from 1986, the coast gallery type of exploitation began, this one being more proper for this type of deposit.

The economical reorganization that these years the Coal Direction from Petrosani deals with, lead to the closing of this mine in 1998. Presently with the help of foreign financing, the undermined mountains are beingreclaimed in order that the nature can begin healing its wounds and can hopefully regain the tourist stature that the area once had. In Campul lui Neag the huge holeand , and the barren mountains now occupy the land of a village that was once rich in folklore and cultural tradition.

Mountains that were once an imcomparable tourist attraction are now disfigured by man's foolishness. In the Hobiceni area from Valea de Brazi, from 1984 was opened the third mine exploitation, which together with the Mining Exploitation Uricani provided the pit coal from the undergrounds.

Mines

· The Mining Exploitation Uricani with 964 employers
Phone: 0254/511 050, 0254/511 100, 0254/511 013

· The Mining Exploitation Valea de Brazi with 1.002 employers
Adress: Aleea Trandafirilor, nr. 6
Telefon: 0254/511 320, 0254/511 025, 0254/511 035

Industry

Uricani is an industrial area based on coal exploitation, the existing mines include:
- Uricani Mine and Valea de Brazi Mine. There's also a quartz quarry, and a micro preparation facility in the process of opening. Being a mountain area, timbering and wood processing are important economic activities.

Trade

Here are some private firms, which retail agro-feeding produces and products.

Agriculture

In the area are cultivated potatoes and maize.
The main occupation is the breeding, especially of sheep and horned cattle.

The economical agents that have tourist activities :
· S.C. Balanta S.A.
· S.C. Microcomputer Service Craiova
· Physical persons, etc.

Statistics

Companies: 160
· Limited liability company 134
· General partnerships 10
· Joint stock companies 3
· Family trade associations 13

Source: DEEP