NACE 05.2 – Mining of Lignite | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 05.2 covers the extraction and processing of lignite in opencast mining as well as the manufacture of lignite briquettes. The group includes all activities for the mechanical and physical processing of the raw material for energy generation and industrial use.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: January 2026

What does NACE 05.2 cover?

NACE 05.2 (Mining of lignite) classifies businesses that extract and process lignite in opencast mining — a sector that appears in public procurement primarily through energy supply contracts and large-scale infrastructure projects.

Group 05.2 within Section B (Mining and quarrying) and Division 05 (Mining of coal and lignite) is broken down into the following classes:

Public contracting authorities relating to NACE 05.2 are mainly state energy producers, municipal power-plant operators, publicly owned district-heating utilities and authorities that supervise lignite installations or award restoration measures.

Public Tenders: Scope of NACE 05.2

Lignite mining and lignite procurement are relevant in public procurement mainly through utility contracting authorities and state-controlled energy companies — with a growing share of dismantling and after-care tenders.

Typical types of contract

• Lignite purchasing and supply contracts: Procurement of raw lignite and briquettes for power and district-heating plants
• Opencast technology and large equipment: Bucket-wheel excavators, spreaders, conveyor systems, maintenance contracts
• Overburden management and recultivation: Planning and execution of overburden movement, restoration of opencast landscapes
• Mining monitoring: Geotechnical monitoring of slopes, groundwater observation, subsidence measurement
• Environmental protection measures: Dust suppression, noise protection, water treatment in opencast mines
• Dismantling measures: Dismantling of disused power plants and opencast installations, spoil-heap remediation

Thresholds and procedure types

Energy procurement contracts of state lignite and power-plant operators are subject to utilities procurement law (SektVO / BVergGVS) under Directive 2014/25/EU. The EU threshold for supply contracts is EUR 431,000, for works contracts EUR 5,538,000 (as of 2024/2025). Recultivation services and environmental measures follow the classical procurement rules.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 05.2

CPV codes enable targeted searches for lignite tenders on European and national procurement platforms.

Current tenders are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national platforms such as DTVP or the Austrian Federal Procurement Portal.

Who is NACE 05.2 relevant for in procurement law?

Public contracting authorities

In Germany, the lignite industry is closely associated with a few large corporations, of which RWE and LEAG (Lausitz Energie) have state minority holdings or are subject to regulatory frameworks. Municipal utilities with lignite-fired power plants and the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) are further relevant contracting authorities. In the context of the coal phase-out by 2038, extensive tenders for restoration and after-care services are arising.

Companies and bidders

For tenders in lignite mining and related services, the following eligibility evidence is typically required:

• Authorisation: Mining-law operational-plan approvals, trade-law permits
• Technical capacity: References for comparable opencast or restoration projects
• Economic capacity: Evidence of sufficient corporate capacity for large-scale projects
• Certifications: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, mining-safety evidence

NACE 05.2 in context: Section B and Division 05

NACE 05.2 is part of Division 05 (Mining of coal and lignite) within Section B — an area that in public procurement is increasingly shifting from raw-material procurement to after-care and restoration.

• NACE B – Mining and quarrying: Parent section
• NACE 05.1 – Mining of hard coal: Related group for hard coal extraction
• NACE 06.1 – Extraction of crude petroleum: Further fossil-energy raw-material extraction
• NACE 08.1 – Quarrying of stone, sand and clay: Construction materials in the municipal sector

Frequently Asked Questions about NACE 05.2 and Public Tenders

Which companies fall under NACE 05.2? Companies whose economic focus lies in the extraction and processing of lignite. Specialist firms for opencast recultivation and overburden management may also be assigned to this group.

How is the coal phase-out changing the tender landscape? With the gradual shutdown of lignite-fired power plants by 2038, extensive tenders are arising for dismantling, restoration, groundwater treatment and after-care. These services are awarded under classical procurement law and partly through special funding frameworks.

Are recultivation services subject to utilities procurement law? No — recultivation and environmental protection services are generally subject to classical procurement law (VgV / BVergG 2018), not to utilities procurement law, since they do not constitute energy generation or distribution.

Where do I find tenders for lignite recultivation? On TED with CPV code 45112360 (recultivation) or 90721000 (mining environmental protection) and on state platforms in the lignite regions (Brandenburg, Saxony, NRW).

Last updated: January 2026 All information is provided without guarantee. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.