Mining in Poland

Polish Mining Industry

Position of the Polish Mining Industry in the world

Polish mining industry, by any measure, has the highest production capacity within the EU. The world position of Poland as a producer of selected minerals is displayed in the table below.

Position of Poland as a Producer of Selected Minerals

based on the World Mining Data 2026

(C. Reichl, M. Schatz)

Mineral	World rank	Production in 2024
Lignite	5	40 974 985 metr. t
Silver	7	1 318 200 kg
Coking coal	8	11 297 894 metr. t
Lead	17	31 500 metr. t
Steam coal	11	32 647 380 metr. t
Cadmium	- - -	- - - metr. t
Copper	13	400 100 metr. t
Salt	17	2 917 000 metr. t
Sulfur	16	798 440 metr. t
Kaolin	22	218 610 metr. t
Gypsum and anhydrite	22	1 071 000 metr. t

Natural resources

Mineral resources in Poland

Poland is a country relatively rich in minerals. The Polish resources of hard coal, lignite, natural gas and copper ore will enable their intensive exploitation for dozens of years to come. In this material we present basic information on the most important resources

Mining rescue services

Polish mine rescue system is based on:

mine operators’ rescue services;
Central Mines Rescue Station in Bytom and other specialized rescue units.

The main task of these services is to provide rescue for the miners and for the mines that are endangered in case of underground fires, gas and coal dust explosion, gas and rock outbursts, rock falls, sudden inrush of water to the mining excavations, blow-outs, technical failures, hazards to public safety. They also take part in clear-up operations and restoring safe working conditions.

The tasks of specialized mine rescue units, apart from rescue operations, include:

training on mine rescue;
medical examination of mine rescuers;
testing and assessment of mine rescue equipment.

Each mine rescue unit must fulfil requirements on conducting mine rescue operations that include having:

qualified mine rescue teams and specialized emergency teams that are ready for action at any moment;
equipment necessary for rescue operations.

Specialized mine rescue services in Poland
Centralna Stacja Ratownictwa Górniczego w Bytomiu Central Mines Rescue Station in Bytom	specialized, nationwide, state-owned company
Jednostka Ratownictwa Górniczo-Hutniczego, KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. Emergency Mine-Smelter Rescue Services Unit, KGHM Polska Miedź S.A.	its tasks include all types of mine, smelter and other industrial-related rescue activities
Ratownicza Stacja Górnictwa Otworowego in Krakow Rescue Station of Bore-Hole Mining in Krakow	provides mine rescue services to plants that extract and explore for oil and gas

Mining heritage

The history of mining in Poland dates back to the Stone Age, when flint was extracted at the prehistoric mines in Krzemionki. Since the 10th century, rock salt has been mined in Wieliczka, while iron ore has been extracted in various regions of present-day Poland.

In the 12th century, silver and lead mining developed in the area around Bytom in Upper Silesia, followed by the Olkusz region in the 13th century. During the same period, gold mining flourished, particularly in Lower Silesia and the Małopolska region.

The earliest written reference to coal mining in Poland dates from the 16th century. However, large-scale hard coal extraction began only in the second half of the 18th century, when coal became an essential fuel for the iron and non-ferrous metals industries. Many of Poland's historic coal mines were established during this period.

Mining has played a vital role in Poland’s history for centuries. Explore the fascinating world of Poland’s historic mines and discover the country’s rich mining heritage. Visit the websites of the mining museums listed below to learn more about the history, traditions, and legacy of Polish mining.