Visit of Students to the Janina Mine

On March 11, 2026, a group of 12 students from our faculty had the opportunity to visit the Janina Mine in Libiąż, operated by Południowy Koncern Węglowy S.A.

The participants were welcomed by the President of the mine, Mr. Rafał Wójtowicz, who presented the history of the facility and discussed the most important investments carried out in recent years. He also emphasized the unique operational characteristics of the Janina Mine—it is the only hard coal mine in Poland where underground crew transport is carried out using off-road vehicles. This solution significantly shortens the time needed to reach the working areas, allowing the effective working time in the extraction zones to be maximized.

After the presentation, the students received training on how to use an escape breathing apparatus. They then descended underground via the modern Janina VI shaft, commissioned in 2021. This shaft enables the transport of large-size equipment and allows up to 200 people to descend or ascend at one time.

After approximately 20 minutes, the participants reached the mining area of the G-1 division, in seam 207, longwall 710 at a depth of 800 meters, where they were able to observe the organization of work and the technological solutions used under real mining conditions.

The longwall operating in this seam is considered one of the most seismically active in Poland. The students had the opportunity to experience the nature of work in such conditions directly—during their stay in the longwall area, a rock mass tremor occurred. Fortunately, it was a low-energy event and did not pose any danger to the participants. Nevertheless, it was a valuable experience that helped them better understand the realities of underground mining work.

At the end of the visit, all participants received small souvenirs and were symbolically inducted into the group of Honorary “Gwarkowie” of the Janina Mine. This pleasant distinction concluded the visit and was an expression of the hosts’ hospitality and appreciation for the students’ interest in mining.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to the President of the Janina Mine, Mr. Rafał Wójtowicz, Mr. Michał Pawlik, and all those involved in organizing and supervising this field trip prepared for students of the Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology at Wrocław University of Science and Technology.

The trip was organized and supervised by Dr Eng. Bogumiła Pałac-Walko.