The concession has been granted following a competitive bidding process in which another entity also applied for access to the deposit. After reviewing the documentation and conducting a substantive evaluation of the two applications, the concession authority gave a higher rating to JSW SA’s proposal, which determined the company’s right to conduct exploration work.
Under the terms of the concession, JSW will excavate mine workings from which exploratory boreholes will be drilled. The Company will conduct detailed laboratory tests on the cores and samples it has collected. The project will conclude with the documentation of the coking coal and methane deposit, which will enable the determination of its geological, quality and economic parameters.
The Dębieńsko 1 deposit is located along the eastern boundary of the Knurów-Szczygłowice mine, which makes it possible to develop it in the future using the existing underground and surface infrastructure.
The coking coal covered by the concession is a critical raw material for the European Union’s economy and is essential for steel production. JSW is the largest producer of this raw material in the EU and has for years emphasized the need to secure a long-term resource base.
- Obtaining the exploration concession for the Dębieńsko 1 deposit is a landmark moment for us. This area is of critical importance for the future of the Knurów-Szczygłowice mine and the entire JSW Group. Thanks to this decision, we can begin the work that will allow us to accurately assess the deposit’s potential and prepare for its rational development - said Adam Rozmus, JSW’s Vice-President for Technical and Operational Matters.
Access to the new deposit will not only increase JSW SA’s reserves but also strengthen the security of raw material supplies for the European steel industry.
The decision to grant the concession marks the culmination of JSW’s long-standing efforts and a complex administrative process which included, among other things, an analysis of competing applications, appeal procedures and an assessment of the planned project’s compliance with Poland’s raw materials policy.
