On 30 October 2026, the print edition of *Gazeta Wyborcza* published an interview with Prof. Krzysztof Szamałek, Director of the Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute. Here is the text of this interview

Critical raw materials are one of the cornerstones for Poland's modern economy and raw materials security. The National Critical Raw Materials Exploration Programme (KPPSK), implemented by the Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute, sets out the priority areas for geological research, which will focus primarily on Lower Silesia, the Lublin region, Upper Silesia and the Zawiercie–Myszków area.

About the raw materials geologists will be searching for, and the benefits the program’s implementation could bring to the Polish economy and local communities, we speak with Prof. Krzysztof Szamałek, Director of PGI-NRI and Head of the State Geological Service.

Artur Baranowski (AB): The Council of Ministers has adopted the National Critical Raw Materials Exploration Programme. Why does Poland need such a programme today? Why does Poland need such a programme today?

Krzysztof Szamałek (KSz): Launching such a programme is necessary not only for Poland, but also for Europe, and in a sense for the whole world as well (as we are one of the main players on the market for copper, which is so badly needed). Events on the international arena have shown that the threat to security of supply and the risk of disruptions to raw materials supply chains have become a reality. That is why, in 2024, the EU adopted the Critical Raw Materials Act, which requires each Member State to draw up a national programme. The Polish Geological Institute, entrusted by the Ministry of Climate and Environment and in cooperation with the AGH University of Science and Technology, the Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the University of Warsaw and the University of Wrocław, has prepared such a document, drawing on the experience and expertise of leading specialists. The programme was adopted on 2 September this year by the Council of Ministers. PGI-NRI has been designated as the implementing body.

AB: How long will the National Critical Raw Materials Exploration Programme run, and what will be the next stages of the work?

KSz: This programme is scheduled for 8 years. Its continuation in subsequent years will depend on the outcomes and results achieved at each specific stage. The exploration stage is based on specific theoretical premises and analogies with similar structures and deposit units found in other parts of the world. These assumptions will then be verified through the analysis of the samples collected.

AB: Is it already possible to identify the main directions and areas on which the programme’s work will focus?

KSz: We are focusing on those areas which have previously either been the subject of exploitation or of research that has led to preliminary, promising conclusions. We are referring here to Lower Silesia and the areas north of the Pre-Sudeten monocline. We are also considering parts of the Lublin region and Upper Silesia, as well as the Myszków area, where we will look for deposit formations of great significance to the economy.

These are not completely unknown places on the mineral resources map. But now we will undertake more extensive and thorough work there. Firstly, we intend to focus on minerals that are sources of critical raw materials, which are already present in Poland and are being mined, and at the same time offer significant prospects for expanding their resource base.

That is why, during the first stage, we are focusing primarily on polymetallic copper ores. In addition to copper, rhenium, silver and gold are also mined there. Permian formations, including clay shales and limestones, which are encrusted with copper mineralisation, extend further north and north-west from the current mining areas. Therefore, we wish to investigate and document the deposit potential in these areas more carefully.

We are also interested in rare-earth elements and other minerals that are sources of critical raw materials. We classify molybdenum-tungsten ores, which occur and have been documented in the Myszków area, as the highest priority within this group. Their potential is greater than we had previously thought.

At the same time, we are taking into account other raw materials that Poland already processes, extracts and brings to market. Coking coal is a good example. We want to investigate whether there are significant deposits of it in the Lublin region that could be of long-term importance in the future. These are currently the main areas of our work, although, of course, the range of raw materials under analysis is broader.

AB: Does the commencement of geological surveys in a particular region mean that raw materials will be mined there in the future?

KSz: The presence of geologists, their work, and even the documentation of a deposit does not automatically mean that development will begin and a mine will be built. It is a much longer process, involving planning, economic and political decisions, and one that requires enormous capital. A great deal of time usually elapses between the exploration and documentation of a deposit and the start of extraction.

Modern mining is no longer the same as we remember it from the 1960s or 1970s. The world has changed considerably since then. Environmental regulations have evolved, the requirements placed on businesses have increased, and the role of the public in the process of obtaining licenses and in the public oversight of such investments has also grown. Minimising the negative impacts of the mining industry is now one of the key elements of sustainable development.

A significant benefit of having a mine is the increase in local authorities’ own revenue. Sixty per cent of the mining royalty constitutes revenue for the local authority. This can be of great importance for the municipality’s development and have a direct impact on the quality of its residents’ lives.

Another benefit is job creation. Mines are ventures requiring huge financial outlays, whilst at the same time involving a long payback period for the capital invested. This also means the potential to create relatively stable jobs in the region.

Therefore, I believe there are benefits that are at least worth considering. I am a strong advocate of a long-term, patient social dialogue that ultimately leads to concrete conclusions.

AB: When can we expect to see the first results of the programme?

KSz: Every project implemented under the National Critical Raw Materials Exploration Programme has specific milestones and payment stages. At each of these, tangible results are achieved, which must be reported to the Ministry of Climate and Environment. It is a complex, painstaking and highly detailed process. The programme’s results will therefore appear gradually.

If, for example, it turns out that we have reserves of rare-earth elements or other critical raw materials, it will be possible to consider developing specific specialisations and modern technologies in Poland based on our own raw material base. We might think, for instance, about the semiconductor industry or other sectors that use such raw materials.

There is also a second scenario. If we confirm significant reserves of certain raw materials but decide not to develop related domestic production, Poland may become a major supplier of these materials to other countries or economies that require them.

Both models are possible. Each of them can bring tangible benefits to the country’s economy and, consequently, to society as a whole.

AB: Thank you for the conversation.

Interview by Artur Baranowski