Polish minerals: the wealth of the country

Poland is an Eastern European state, most of which is located on the territory of the middle European Plain. The rest of the area is occupied by mountain areas. It is a country rich in a wide variety of minerals. What are these riches and how are they used for the economic needs of the country?

Reserves of the country

The mineral resources of Poland make it possible to maintain the country's economy at a high level. Since ancient times, Poland was famous for its large reserves of amber. It was on the Polish territory that the so-called Amber Route passed, which stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Baltic States. The main minerals of Poland are coal deposits, copper ores, silver, tin, zinc, as well as deposits of rock salt, sulfur and various raw materials for the production of building materials.

To this day, Poland is the leading country in the extraction of this mineral. A large amount of amber is produced here. Its reserves are estimated by specialists at 12 thousand tons. Mining in Poland began around 3500 BC. In the Middle Ages, an important role was played by such a form of enrichment as the extraction of salt. And from the middle of the 18th century, the extraction of coal was of great importance.

Features of Poland's relief and minerals

As already mentioned, most of the country's territory is flat. Plains, formed here in the Ice Age, account for 75% of its entire territory. In the glacial period was formed the relief of Poland. And minerals, namely the places of their main deposits, were also formed during this period. In the lower parts of the East European platform, on which Poland is located, there are reserves of red-colored rocks. In the western part of the platform there is a large amount of coal and gas reserves. In the pits between the mountain peaks one can often find lakes. On the southern border are the mountains - Sudetes. Here, coal, nickel, and tin are mined. On the territory of the eastern part are the Carpathians.

Minerals of Poland: coal

The total stock of coal pools in Poland is approximately 45 billion tons. But in Poland there is not enough gas and oil resources. That is why these types of resources have to be imported additionally from other countries. Last decades the production of energy from various renewable sources becomes popular. If coal mining continues at the same rate, its reserves will be able to meet the country's needs for about 500 years. This is 2 times more than the average of other countries in the world. But stocks can last even longer, because in the Polish economy coal is increasingly replaced by other minerals - natural gas. Gas is safer in terms of ecology. According to official data, there are 242 natural gas deposits in Poland.

The importance of coal mining for the economy

However, brown and coal are important for the Polish economy. About 100 million tons of coal are mined in Poland every year. And it forms the basis of power generation. The most important advantage of using it is that this mineral is the most affordable and at the same time economical.

The main deposits of this mineral are in Silesia. The largest place of extraction of coal and brown coal is the Lublin coal basin. Throughout the country, brown coal deposits are common . According to forecasts, its number is about 42 billion. The largest number of deposits is central in western parts of Poland.

Gas and oil

One of the main minerals in Poland is natural gas. Oil and natural gas are extracted in the eastern territories. In 2016 a new extensive gas field was discovered in the territory of the Western Pomeranian Voivodeship. Its volume is about 1 billion cubic meters. Thanks to this field, the total gas production in Poland will increase by 25 million cubic meters. The depth of the new well is about 3000 m. The annual gas consumption in Poland is about 15 billion cubic meters.

The first oil well on the territory of Poland began to be exploited in 1854. At present, there are 92 oil fields.

Extraction of salt

The valuable wealth of the country is also rock salt. Its reserves are estimated at more than 80 billion tons. One of the most famous tourist attractions is the salt mine called Wieliczka. The mine is located near Krakow in the small town of Wieliczka. Once upon a time many years ago there was a sea on the territory of this city. And the salt deposits formed here naturally. Salt mining here began in the XIII century. Since the XV century, the mines have become open to a large number of tourists. Since 1978, the mine "Wieliczka" has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Other stocks

Also in Poland there are abundant reserves of geothermal waters. This term denotes thermal waters that escape from under the surface of the earth, their temperature is more than 20 degrees. Throughout the country there are numerous mineral springs that have medicinal properties. Geothermal waters are used in sanatoriums for bathing and bathing, treating nasopharynx, and also ingestion.

Another valuable mineral of Poland is copper. Here are the largest in Europe reserves of this metal. In Poland, about 3% of the world's copper production is produced. Also, the country has developed zinc and lead ore mining. The country is rich in deposits of magnetite-ilmenite ores, as well as barite reserves.