About the journal: from regional bulletin to international platform

The journal traces its origins to 1961, when it was established by the Research Institute for Brown Coal (VUHU) in Most under the title Zpravodaj VUHU (VUHU Bulletin). From its inception, it served as a significant professional platform, documenting for more than six decades the evolution of the mining industry, landscape transformations, technological progress, and societal values within the Czech brown coal region. Each issue reflected its era—from periods of intensive extraction, through efforts to restore landscapes, to contemporary challenges of sustainability and energy transition.

Initially conceived as a technical bulletin focused on research results and innovations in mining, the journal gradually evolved into a respected peer-reviewed periodical. Its scope expanded to include ecological, geological, hydrological, and socio-economic dimensions of mining, becoming a venue for interdisciplinary dialogue between practitioners and academics. Over time, it contributed substantially to the development of land reclamation, environmental innovations, modernization of mining technologies, and the shaping of responsible approaches to natural resource management.

In 1995, the journal adopted the name Zpravodaj Hnědé uhlí (Brown Coal Bulletin), reflecting its broadened thematic coverage and diverse authorship. Alongside traditional mining topics, it began publishing studies on reclamation and revitalization of post-mining landscapes, environmental impacts of extraction, ecological land-use strategies, and interdisciplinary research spanning ecology, geology, energy systems, and landscape engineering.

Beginning in 2026, the journal enters a new era as the iSET Journal, an international, peer-reviewed platform dedicated to the science and engineering of sustainable transformation of mining and industrial regions. This strategic shift reflects profound regional changes, the imperative of post-mining landscape restoration, and the broader context of European scientific integration. The transformation underscores the journal’s commitment to advancing global knowledge on reclamation, resource management, and socio-economic revitalization, positioning it as a leading forum for interdisciplinary research and innovation in the era of sustainability.