Mining in Poland
Poland is one of the most important producers of coal and copper in Europe. Brown and black coal are an important part of Poland’s energy mix and the country uses these natural resources for more than half of its electricity and heat production. The Polish mining industry faces ongoing change, after experiencing a decrease in recent years. One thing remains certain about Poland’s coal mining future: the country relies heavily on this energy resource and the government will have to take measures to sustain and boost the mining sector.
Coal mining in Poland
Poland is the second largest coal mining country in Europe and the ninth in the world. The country relies on its coal resources and consumes almost all of them for electricity and heating. Most of the mines in Poland are coal mines, followed by copper mines and nickel and salt mines.
After the fall of the communist regime, nearly all of the coal mining companies in Poland were owned by the state. After the government implemented several programs to restructure the mining industry, the mining companies are now partially privatized.
The Bogdanka coal mine is the largest in in eastern Poland and delivers one of the largest coal reserves in Poland, with an estimated amount of 265.3 million mt of coal. Future plans to improve the profitability of the mining sector in Poland include the restructuring of the Piekary and Brzeszcze mines.
Other business opportunities the county has to offer include business fields such as
manufacturing or
research and development. The Polish Government also offers special incentives for certain economic activities.
Future investments and privatization in the Polish mining sector
Privatization might be the optimal solution for boosting the
coal production in Poland and ensuring that the country will continue to meet the demands for production. The
coal industry in Poland remains an
important employer, with nearly 130,000 people working in the field.