North Bohemian Coal Basin

(also Most Coal Basin), in Czechoslovakia, in the Czech Socialist Republic, in North Bohemia; the largest lignite deposit in Czechoslovakia. The North Bohemian Coal Basin is located in the Krušné Hory (Erzgebirge or Ore Mountains) and stretches in a wide band from about Ústí nad Labem to Kadaň. It has estimated lignite reserves of 9–11 billion tons and in 1972 produced 57.3 million tons. The lignite is mined primarily by the open-pit method, and most of it is used locally for the production of electric power and in the chemical industry. The chief mining centers are Most, Litvinov, Duchcov, and Bilina.