Interview with Prof. Krzysztof Szamałek, Director of the Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute (PGI-NRI) and head of the Polish Geological Survey, and Artur Dyczko, PhD, director of the Upper Silesian Branch of PGI-NRI and head of ISAC SIG.

Interviewer: Professor, what exactly is ISAC SIG and why did you decide to establish it?

Prof. Krzysztof Szamałek: ISAC SIG – or the Information Sharing and Analysis Center for Raw Materials and Geodiversity – is our Institute's new specialized unit for the security of the geological and raw materials sector. We have established it in response to very specific risks: from cyber threats and disinformation to geopolitical pressure on access to mineral resources. But it is also an expression of a deeper transformation. As the State Geological Service, we are moving beyond the traditional framework – from the role of a documenter of deposits to that of an active participant in ensuring the security of the state. This is a necessary and strategic change.

Interviewer: Does involvement in the ISAC SIG project mean a redefinition of the role of the Polish Geological Institute?

Prof. Krzysztof Szamałek: No – quite the opposite. PGI-NRI has been, is, and will remain faithful to its mission as a pillar of the State Geological Service. What we are doing by establishing ISCA SIG is a natural extension of this mission – adding components that are indispensable in the 21st century. We are entering an era of digital responsibility because this is the only way we can effectively protect our country's resources, support raw material policy and counter threats that go far beyond geology in the strict sense. This is a strategic decision that does not change our identity – but strengthens our effectiveness.

Interviewer: What will be the key tasks of the Center?

Prof. Krzysztof Szamałek: ISAC SIG will serve as a sectoral warning and information, analysis and coordination center. We will monitor incidents, prepare threat bulletins, support companies in responding to attacks and develop best practices – from SCADA system security to geoinformation data resilience. We are also investing in skills – training, workshops and simulations. We want the raw materials sector's data and the systems that store, process and share such data to be a model of resilience to all threats, disruptions and changes. In every situation, they should be characterised by continuity of operation, integrity, reliability and availability.

Interviewer: How does ISAC SIG fit into Poland's broader raw materials and digital strategy?

Prof. Krzysztof Szamałek: It is a key component. In the face of energy transition, pressure on raw materials and a growing number of information threats, Poland needs a strong analytical and resilience base. ISAC SIG will help shape the digital dimension of raw materials policy – trusted, fast and competent. This is a step towards information sovereignty and critical infrastructure security. I would go further and say that ISAC SIG is not only a response tool – it is also a centre for shaping future courses of action. In the era of green transformation, geopolitics and raw material uncertainty, Poland must have its own sources of knowledge and analysis – free from external influence, fast, accurate and reliable. ISAC SIG will therefore co-create the digital component of raw material policy, supporting the administration, industry and citizens in making rational decisions. This is a step towards greater state information sovereignty.

Interviewer: Mr Dyczko, what is your vision for this project as the head of ISAC SIG?

Artur Dyczko, PhD: It is ambitious and very specific. We are building a Geoinformation and Cybersecurity Center at the Upper Silesian Branch of PGI-NRI – a digital hub for knowledge, warning and coordination. It will soon be a modern SOC (Security Operations Center) but also a hub where geological data, sectoral supervision and scientific potential come together. We transform information into action – for the administration, industry and citizens. For me personally, it is also crucial that ISAC SIG would not have been established without a strategic agreement with the Higher Mining Office. Thanks to this cooperation, we combine supervisory experience with analytical and digital competences. As a result, we are creating a unique resource security system – modern, trusted and effective.

Interviewer: What specific actions are you planning in the nearest future?

Artur Dyczko, PhD: We are already up and running – structurally and organisationally. We are now operationalising the system: building a membership base, launching a communication platform, preparing threat bulletins, and planning the first exercises and workshops. We are also planning to implement AI components for geological and environmental risk analysis. All this as part of a coherent vision – Poland's Digital Raw Material Security Shield.

Interviewer: Who will have access to the Center?

Artur Dyczko, PhD: It will be open to anyone who wants to contribute to a secure sector, from state-owned companies and institutes to start-ups and universities. We invite entities from the mining, energy, fuel, water management and geotechnical industries. This is an inclusive project because resource security is a common concern.

Interviewer: Mr Dyczko, we have been talking about digital resilience, but how does ISAC SIG fit into the broader process of digitisation of the state and regions such as Silesia?

Artur Dyczko, PhD: With a very specific vision – ISAC SIG is not just an incident monitoring unit. It is a pillar of a larger project: the construction of a Geoinformation and Cybersecurity Center at the Upper Silesian Branch of PGI-NRI. We are designing it as an integrated hub of data, knowledge and response – the true digital heart of the sector.

Firstly, Silesia is a symbolic place. It is the industrial backbone of Poland, but also a region where transformation is not just a theory, but everyday reality. It is here that we are launching a new branch of the Central Geological Archive – a digital repository of surveying and geological data. Information that was previously scattered will now be organised, secured and made available to municipalities, institutions and businesses.

Secondly, we are part of a nationwide process of digitising resources and building a Digital Raw Material Security Shield. Together with the Ministry of Climate and Environment and the Ministry of Digital Affairs, we are developing the e-Geology platform, which is interoperable with administration, spatial planning and environmental systems.

Thirdly, we are implementing a strategic agreement with the State Mining Authority. Thanks to this agreement, we are combining geological knowledge with technical and legislative supervision, jointly building the foundations for the resilience of data on deposits, post-mining waters and underground infrastructure.

Fourthly, we are cooperating with the best universities in our country, such as the Warsaw University of Technology, on the implementation of advanced AI algorithms for the analysis of environmental and geotechnical risks. This is a practical application of science that will benefit both the state and its citizens. ISAC SIG is therefore not only a response to threats. It is also a proactive tool for building a resilient and smart Poland. That is why we are already inviting companies, universities, start-ups and institutes to cooperate with us – this is a shared responsibility.

Prof. Krzysztof Szamałek: I would like to add something very important here. The digital transformation of PGI-NRI began in Silesia. And this is no coincidence. It is a region with enormous potential in terms of knowledge, engineering tradition and environmental challenges. In an interview for Rzeczpospolita, I said that Silesia would become a testing ground for a new, digital geological service. And today, this is becoming a reality.

As a state institute, we are not changing our identity – but expanding it with a strategic and technological component. We are entering an era in which documentation, cartography and spatial data must be protected like energy resources. ISAC SIG is our instrument – modern, collaborative and operational.

We are not creating a declaration, but a system. And I believe that Silesia, as the industrial heart of Poland, will also become the heart of the country's geodigital resilience.

Interviewer: Thank you for the interview.

Prof. Krzysztof Szamałek: Thank you, this is an important conversation – and very timely.

Artur Dyczko, PhD: Thank you, and I warmly invite everyone to cooperate within the ISAC SIG. Let us build Poland's modern digital security together.