Efekty restrukturyzacji górnictwa węgla kamiennego w Polsce

This paper presents changes in the functioning of hard coal mining in Poland in the period of development of free market economy, i.e. after 1989. During this period some attempts were made to bring the coal mining to remunerativeness. Five programmes of coal mining restructuring were implemented. Their main aim was the reduction of excessive production capacities. 23 coal mains were closed down in the period 1989–2003, especially in the northern and eastern parts of the coal basin, which include the areas where coal exploitation was the longest and coal resources are located under considerably urbanised areas, often within safety pillars (Bytom, Chorzów, Gliwice, Zabrze, Będzin, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Sosnowiec). As a consequence, coal production fell from 177.4 million tonnes to 100.5 million tonnes and the employment decreased from 415.7 thousand to 135.7 thousand. An organisational structure is represented by three coal syndicates: Katowice Capital Group with 8 coal mines, Coal Campaign with 23 coal mines and Jastrzębie Coal Company with 5 coal mines.