On 21–22 October, the headquarters of the Polish Geological Institute hosted meetings of the EuroGeoSurveys expert group – MREG (Mineral Resources Expert Group) and the GSEU (Geological Service for Europe) project. In the following days, the participants had the opportunity to take part in a field trip, during which they visited the salt mine in Kłodawa, the PGI-NRI warehouse in Leszcze, and the Rudna copper and silver mine in the KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. deposit area.

On the first day, delegates were welcomed by the Director of PGI-NRI, Prof. Krzysztof Szamałek, who emphasised the role of mineral resources for the European Union's economy, recalled the Institute's involvement during this year's Polish Presidency of the EU Council and its activities in shaping the country's raw materials policy, including the development of the National Programme for the Exploration of Critical Raw Materials (KPPSK).

PGI-NRI Director Krzysztof Szamałek when opening the EGS MREG meeting

The MREG meeting provided a wealth of information on the progress made by individual countries in developing National Critical Raw Materials Programmes (in accordance with the Critical Raw Materials Act), discussed reports on ongoing EU projects in the field of critical raw materials, and debated upcoming project opportunities under the Horizon Europe 2026 programme.

Participants of the EGS MREG meeting at the Geological Museum of the Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute (PIG-PIB)

Poland's vision for implementing the KPPSK was discussed by Prof. Stanisław Mikulski, Deputy Director for Science and Scientific Support of the Polish Geological Service, PGI-NRI.

Professor S. Mikulski presents information on Poland's mineral resources

Participants had the opportunity to visit the PGI-NRI Geological Museum, the SHRIMP laboratory and the Institute's library.

Participants of the GSEU (Geological Service for Europe) project meeting, operating within the framework of EGS (EuroGeoSurveys) at the PGI-NRI Geological Museum

The Mineral Resources Expert Group, responsible within EuroGeoSurveys for providing information on policy and strategy regarding the sustainable supply of critical and strategic raw materials in the European Union, is one of twelve expert groups bringing together hundreds of employees from European geological services. MREG supports the European Commission's Strategic Implementation Plan for the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials (SIP EIP RM), which emphasises the need for a well-established and ongoing exchange of expert geological knowledge on mineral deposits in the EU and its appropriate use.

The second day of the meeting was mainly devoted to the work of expert subgroups responsible for implementing tasks within the GSEU project related to:

• critical raw materials found in EU land areas;
• critical raw materials found in EU maritime areas;
• of the European International Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Resource Management, and support for the United Nations Classification Framework

At the end, the results of the work of individual subgroups were presented and, in view of the new ideas, a discussion was held on their implementation. The day was summarised by Director Stanisław Mikulski, who also presented information on the organisation and functioning of PGI-NRI, as well as presentations on a field trip to the salt mine in Kłodawa and the Cu-Ag mines on the Sudeten foredeep (Stanisław Mikulski, Marta Hodbod).

On Thursday, thanks to the courtesy of the management of the Kłodawa Salt Mine, EGS experts visited a tourist route located over 600 metres underground, wandering between the Cechtyn salt deposits and learning about the mining system in the largest active rock salt mine in Poland. They also visited the nearby PGI-NRI drill core storage facility in Leszcze.

EGS experts during a visit to the Kłodawa salt mine

EGS experts in front of the PIG-PIB building in Leszcze

On the last day, with the consent of KGHM Polska Miedź S.A., the participants visited the Rudna mining plant, one of the largest deep copper ore mines in the world. The industrial resources of the Rudna mine (as of 31 December 2024) in the four deposits it exploits amount to 321 million tonnes of Cu ore. The average copper content is 2.02%, while the average silver content is 63 g/Mg. EGS experts saw excavations at a depth of over 1,300 m and learned about the production process at the KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. Ore Enrichment Plant.

EGS experts in front of the “Rudna” mine