How did lignite mining change in Saxony-Anhalt after German reunification?

Following German reunification in 1990, the lignite mining industry in Saxony-Anhalt underwent a period of drastic contraction. Between 1990 and the beginning of the 21st century, production levels in the state's portion of the Central German Coalfield dropped by more than three-fourths, while employment in the sector fell by more than nine-tenths.1

This significant reduction in mining activity, alongside cutbacks in chemical production, contributed to a severe economic recession in the state's southern industrial regions. However, these changes also resulted in a dramatic improvement in air quality throughout the post-unification era.1