Student Scientific Association of Mining Law

Members of the association have taken it upon themselves from the beginning to promote geological and mining law both among WPAiE UWr students, as well as targeting others, including those from outside the university and external entities such as mining companies and public administration bodies. It is the only scientific association in Poland with such an activity profile. It was created at a rather unusual time, which was the period of the pandemic and, so to speak, the apogee of remote learning. This meant that for many months, from November 2020 to July 2021, the association’s members conducted all activities using the Internet and remote forms of communication.

The association conducts wide-ranging activities in various fields. In its history, it has already organized three scientific lectures with interesting speakers:

1. “Ruch podziemnego zakładu górniczego i zagrożenia z tym związane” (“The movement of an underground mining company and the risks associated with it”) – December 21, 2020 by Attorney at Law Wojciech Zaucha of KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. – Lubin Mine Branch;
2. “Cywilistyczne aspekty prawa geologicznego i górniczego” (“Civilian aspects of geological and mining law”) – March 31, 2021 by Attorney at Law Hubert Schwarz of “Amadeus” Legal Office in Wrocław;
3. “Ochrona złóż kopalin, jej prawno-przestrzenne aspekty w świetle Polityki Surowcowej Państwa i zmian prawa geologicznego i górniczego” (“Protection of mineral deposits, its legal and spatial aspects in the light of the National Raw Materials Policy and changes in the geological and mining law”) – April 8, 2022 by Attorney at Law Jan Andrzej Stefanowicz of “Juris” Legal Office in Warszawa.

Furthermore, SKN PG also organized three science camps:

1. SKN PG Science Workshop – Ślęża 2021 (July 3-4, 2021). They included field workshops, during which participants could learn about the history and peculiarities of old mining in the Ślęża and Sobótka area, as well as deliver interesting scientific papers:
   President Jakub Kołecki – „Obiekty unieszkodliwiania odpadów wydobywczych” (Facilities for the disposal of mining waste),
   First Vice-President Dominik Kowal – „Historia rozwoju prawa górniczego” (The history of the development of mining law),
   Second Vice-President Michał Kowalski – „Polityka surowcowa państwa” (National Raw Materials Policy),
   SKN PG Member Kamil Kozyra – „Rodzaje własności złóż kopalin” (Types of ownership of mineral deposits);
2. SKN PG Science Workshop – Zabrze Guido 2022 (March 5, 2022). A visit to the Coal Mining Museum in Zabrze. An underground descent to the level of 320 meters below the surface at Guido Mine. The students had the opportunity to learn about the peculiarities of underground coal mining in combination with the current tourist value of the former mine;
3. SKN PG Science Workshop – Lubin 2022 (July 9, 2022). Organization of Scientific Workshops in cooperation between SKN PG and KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. (Lubin Mine). A visit to the Lubin Mine (mining shaft L-VI in Rynarcice, section G-8) The descent of members of SKN PG underground to the level of 950 meters below the surface and then a tour of the mine workings of Lubin Mine. Visiting mining faces, observing mine work, taking geological measurements, obtaining rock samples and inspecting mining machinery. Familiarization with the specifics of underground mining operations in one of the largest mining companies in Poland and the world.

In addition, SKN PG participates, thanks to the activity of its members, in numerous scientific conferences at the national level, or events such as lectures on the university-wide subject of „Master of Business Administration (MBA) in geology and environmental protection”. Moreover, the association is active in social media, including teaching, and commenting on amendments to the geological and mining law, among other things. Finally, members of the SKN PG are actively engaged in academic activities by writing articles on the subject of Polish geological and mining law. They make their way into reputable journals such as Przegląd Ustawodawstwa Gospodarczego (Business Law Journal) with paper by Jakub Kołecki on „Obowiązki policyjne przedsiębiorcy związane z występowaniem zagrożeń górniczych” (Police duties of an entrepreneur related to the occurrence of mining hazards) as well as Przegląd Geologiczny (Polish Geological Review) with paper by Dominik Kowal on „Własność złóż kopalin w kontekście kryterium społeczno-gospodarczego przeznaczenia nieruchomości gruntowej w prawie polskim” (Ownership of mineral deposits in the context of the criterion of socio-economic use of land property in Polish law).

The biggest event organized by SKN PG in cooperation with the Institute of Administrative Sciences at the Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics at the University of Wrocław and the Legal Office “Amadeus” in Wrocław was the 1st National Scientific Conference entitled „Współczesne wyzwania prawa geologicznego i górniczego” (Contemporary challenges of geological and mining law) from December 9, 2022.

It ended with great success – both in terms of organization and content. The conference was held remotely through MS Teams. It was conducted according to a set schedule. The opening of the conference was full of speeches delivered by representatives of the conference organizers, including, above all, employees of our Faculty – prof. dr hab. Tadeusz Kocowski, dr hab. prof. Uwr Jerzy Korczak, and dr Witold Malecki. Participants then had the opportunity to listen to a total of 12 papers in four sessions. What is very important, the group of speakers was diverse, so that the audience received the broadest possible spectrum of issues raised by people from different backgrounds. Among the speakers, there were:

1. representatives of science in the rank of professors and doctors – there were two academic institutions present: The University of Wrocław (Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics and Faculty of Earth Sciences and Environmental Management) and Jan Długosz University of Czestochowa;
2. professional lawyers from the Ministry of Climate and Environment, from the headquarters of the copper giant – KGHM Polska Miedź S.A., and the Legal Office “Amadeus” based in Wrocław;
3. students from SKN PG, whose passion is issues related to geological and mining law. Among them were:
   a) President Jakub Kołecki with a paper on „Obowiązki przedsiębiorcy związane z prowadzeniem ruchu zakładu górniczego w kontekście zasady ochrony złóż kopalin” (Obligations of the entrepreneur related to the operation of a mine company in the context of the principle of protection of mineral deposits),
   b) First Vice-President Dominik Kowal with a paper on „Obowiązki organów samorządu terytorialnego w zakresie planowania przestrzennego w kontekście występowania na obszarach planowania złóż kopalin” (Obligations of local government bodies in the field of spatial planning in the context of the presence of mineral deposits in planning areas),
   c) Secretary Kamil Kozyra with a paper on „Właściciel nieruchomości (użytkownik wieczysty) nieruchomości w obszarze górniczym są jednak stronami postępowania koncesyjnego – kilka słów i uwag na temat wyroku TK z dnia 12 maja 2021 r., sygn. akt SK 19/15” (The property owner (perpetual usufructuary) of the property in the mining area are parties to the concession proceedings – a few words and comments on the verdict of the Constitutional Tribunal of May 12, 2021, reference symbol of files SK 19/15),
   d) SKN PG member Adam Kubiczek with a paper on: „System prawa górniczego w Republice Czeskiej” (Mining law system in the Czech Republic).

In the end, a discussion was scheduled, during which the audience could ask questions of the speakers. Before 2:30 pm, the conference was closed.

It is worth pointing out that attendance at the event was very high, as the report shows that a total of 162 participants listened to the conference, including almost 100 people at one time.

Thanks to the conference, the University of Wrocław, and in particular the Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics, was able to stand out as one of the leading academic institutions dealing with geological and mining law.

The organizers hope that the conference, thanks to the success of its first edition, will become a permanent part of the events organized in cooperation with the University of Wrocław and contribute to an even greater debate around issues related to the law on geology and mining in Poland, the European Union and the world.

Currently, as of July 2022. the scientific supervisor of the SKN PG is dr Witold Małecki. Drafted by: Jakub Kołecki, President of the Student Scientific Association of Mining Law

Feel free to contact us through our Facebook fan page. We are also available by e-mail: skn.pg@uwr.edu.pl.

Translated by Aleksandra Chowaniec (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice.

Attention! If you are a student at the University of Wrocław, you have the opportunity to enrol in a student scientific association that is not affiliated with your institute.