One of the main topics of the event was the challenges facing the modern mining industry: from safety and operational efficiency, through investment financing, to the importance of critical raw materials for the security and competitiveness of European industry.
The opening session was attended by Prof. Jerzy Buzek, who drew particular attention to coking coal, which is included on the EU’s list of 34 critical raw materials.
- We still have one of the most important critical raw materials in the EU. We need to work hard to make its extraction profitable - said Prof. Jerzy Buzek during the opening panel discussion.
Bogusław Oleksy, President of the JSW Management Board, addressed the issue of the importance of critical raw materials. He pointed out the lack of sufficient support for coking coal.
- As the only producer of coking coal in Europe, the company does not currently receive significant support related to this raw material’s status as critical to the European Union. Although there is much talk about the security of Europe and Poland and the need to maintain energy sovereignty, these expectations are not always backed by concrete support mechanisms. Europe should therefore define the direction of its actions more clearly, because at present, its industrial, raw materials and energy policies do not yet form a fully coherent whole - said Bogusław Oleksy.
He clarified that coordination among the various areas of the European Union’s activities is necessary to achieve the overarching goal of full resilience and security. He argued that the EU should strive for this, as a lack of competitiveness could lead to Europe's gradual marginalization in the global market.
Wojciech Balczun, head of the Ministry of State Assets, also spoke about JSW’s situation during the Future Mining Forum & Expo. As he pointed out, the key challenge for the company remains maintaining liquidity and securing financing, including from external sources.
Minister Balczun emphasized that work is simultaneously underway on systemic solutions designed to support the process of change within the company. He also highlighted efforts to reduce costs and continue the restructuring process. One of its components is the inclusion of JSW under the mining-related act, which allows employees to take mining leave and receive one-off cash severance payments.
According to Wojciech Balczun, these efforts are to be consistently continued. However, the situation remains challenging; both JSW and the mining industry as a whole are facing a number of challenges, and improving the company’s financial condition will require further restructuring and financial measures.
He noted that, due to the restructuring of the mining industry this year, approximately 7,000 people may leave the industry. Changes on such a large scale will also pose a challenge for Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa.
- Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa is currently facing a difficult period and must undergo a major restructuring. One of its key elements is workforce optimization, supported by amendments to the act governing the mining industry. JSW must maintain an adequate level of production with fewer employees, which requires a change in how work is planned, better organization of work and a departure from established patterns of operation - noted Adam Rozmus, JSW’s Vice-President of the Management Board for Technical and Operational Matters.
However, the challenges associated with restructuring may be partially mitigated by an improvement in market conditions for coking coal and coke.
- We assume that the current situation will continue for at least a year and will result in additional revenue that will help improve the company's financial health. The forecasts we have indicate a more pronounced market rebound in 2030. Until then, however, we must carry out the restructuring and achieve all of our goals. I'm an optimist, and I believe that thanks to these efforts, we'll be in a much better position by 2030 - Bogusław Oleksy concluded.
The three-day Future Mining Forum & Expo conference also provides a platform for exhibitors: manufacturers and distributors of machinery, equipment and tools for the mining and industrial sectors, as well as providers of cutting-edge technologies that support the sector’s transformation. The presented solutions included technologies related to, among other things, automation, robotics, digitization and artificial intelligence, as well as autonomous systems, security, electrification and the extraction and processing of raw materials.
