This is another in a series of previously announced working meetings held at JSW facilities, attended by the JSW management board and mine management
During his visit to the mine, the Deputy Minister familiarised himself with the operations of the integrated mine – its scale of operations, infrastructure, natural hazards, and the challenges associated with the ongoing restructuring process.
“You can't look down on mining – you have to go down into the mine to truly understand what it's all about. The true picture lies underground – where the demanding day-to-day work takes place and where the scale of the hazards and responsibilities is most evident,” said Deputy Minister Grzegorz Wrona. “Only through firsthand experience can one fully understand the challenges facing the entire industry and the people who make it up today,” he added.
Deputy Minister Wrona, representing the Ministry of State Assets, is directly involved in matters concerning Jastrzebska Spólka Weglowa. He regularly participates in inter-ministerial meetings regarding JSW’s current situation and the progress of the restructuring programme aimed at stabilising the company’s financial position.
During his visit to the Zofiówka Section pithead, the Deputy Minister laid flowers at the plaque commemorating the victims of mining disasters, paying tribute to the miners who lost their lives in those tragedies.
He also familiarised himself with the work being carried out underground – he descended to level 900 of the Zofiówka Section, from where the delegation proceeded to longwall B-2 in seam 409/4. The longwall is located in a section of the seam that has not been previously mined, characterised by the highest level of natural hazards – Category IV methane hazard, Level II rockburst hazard and Category III gas and rock outburst hazard. Longwall B-2 is being mine from Level 1080 – a newly constructed level at the Zofiówka Section – which is intended to eventually take over the bulk of production as reserves at the current mining level, Level 900, continue to deplete.
The Minister was accompanied by Boguslaw Oleksy, acting President of JSW; Adam Rozmus, JSW’s Vice-President for Technical and Operational Matters; Lukasz Szlazak, Director of the Borynia-Zofiówka Mine, and Tomasz Skoczylas, mayor of Glogów Malopolski.
Following the visit to the mine, the Deputy Minister met with representatives of trade union organisations to discuss the very difficult situation currently facing JSW and the measures being taken to stabilise the company.