The Maritza Iztok Mine in southern Bulgaria has scored 2011 its greatest yield for the first quarter of the year since 1997.

For March 2011 miners at Maritza Iztok excavated some 2.5 M tonnes of coal, while for Q1 the amount is close to 7.5 M tonnes.

The mine is reporting that it is fulfilling its plans for ground excavation, with close to 24 M cubic meters of earth dug up for the first quarter.

The Maritza Iztok Mine, the largest coal mine in Bulgaria, is built upon a deposit of lignite coal and feeds the three Martiza Iztok power plants, as well as the Brikel briquette factory.