History

Until 1939

1922

On July 24^th the State Mining Authority (SMA) is established in Katowice by the Council of Ministers. SMA's administrative area covers the Silesian province.
On June 27^th four new District Mining Offices (in Rybnik, Królewska Huta — nowadays Chorzów, Katowice and Tarnowskie Góry) are established by the Minister of Industry and Trade.

1923

On July 2^nd the "Mining-and-Police Ordinance of the State Mining Authority in Katowice" is implemented.

1924

On the initiative of the SMA, experimental mine "Barbara" and Mine Rescue Centre in Pniówek (later moved to Mikołów) are established.

1930

The first Polish Mining Law is introduced by the Polish President.

1939

After World War II breaks out, invaders take control over three State Mining Authorities (Germans over Authorities in Katowice and Cracow, Russians over Authority in Lvov).

From 1945 to 1989

1946

On July 1^st SMAs in Katowice and Cracow, with their respective territorial competencies, are restored by the Council of Ministers after World War II.

1951

On January 3^rd a new, central State Mining Authority in Katowice is given territorial competence over the whole of Poland.

1953

On May 6^th a new Mining Law is decreed.

1954

In accordance to the decree from 21^st October 1954, the SMA is transformed into a central administrative body subordinated to the Prime Minister instead of the Minister of Mining.

1955

SMA undertakes legislative work on structuring work and safety rules pertaining to the mining industry. "The Collection of Regulations for Work Safety and Health Protection" is issued as the first result.

1960

A Commission for Surface Protection from Mining Damage is established within the SMA. The Commission worked until 1996. Its work has since then been continued by the Commission for Surface Protection appointed by the President of the SMA.

1969

The President of the SMA establishes a Work Group for Mining Regulation.
SMA along with scientific institutes and interested ministries cooperate to prepare the Prime Minister's Occupational Safety and Health, and Fire Safety in Underground Mining Plants Regulation.

1973

The “Detailed Regulations for Mining Operation and Deposit Management in Underground Mining Plants Extracting Hard Coal and Lignite” are passed. In the following years, with SMA’s participation, respective regulations for other types of mining plants are being issued.

1988

The Prime Minister establishes the Commission for the Reform of Mining Law and Geological Law chaired by the SMA’s President. The Commission drafted the “Act of Geological and Mining Law”, which is passed by the Parliament of the Republic of Poland and signed by the President of the Republic of Poland on 4th February 1994

After 1989

1995

Implementing acts for the Geological and Mining Law are passed.

1996

The President of the SMA establishes The Committee for Work Safety in Mining.
SMA organizes the 2^nd Meeting of the Heads of European State Mining Authorities.

1999

The Archive of Mine Survey and Geological Documentation is established.
The SMA participates in the drafting of amendments to the Geological and Mining Law and their presentation to the Polish Parliament.
Work on new implementing acts for the Geological and Mining Law is started.

2001

On July 27^th the act amending the Geological and Mining Law is passed by the Parliament and enters into force on 1^st January 2002.

2002

Mining Offices are, of now, responsible for the supervision and control of mining plants extracting common minerals.
As of now, minister competent for public administration supervises the President of SMA.

2004

On May 1^st the SMA’s President becomes a specialized authority responsible for market surveillance with respect to products used in mines and an authority for recognition of professional qualifications in mining professions.
The 10^th Meeting of the Heads of European State Mining Authorities - organized by the SMA - is held in Wrocław.
On December 1^st the SMA receives a certificate of Quality Management System ISO 9001:2001 in the scope of tasks under the Mining and Geological Law.

2007

In accordance with the amendments made to the Mining and Geological Law the SMA’s President is, of now, supervised by the minister competent for the environment.
On November 23^rd the SMA celebrates the 85^th anniversary of its establishment. The celebrations are taking place on the premises of the Silesian Library.

2011

On June 9^th the Polish Parliament passes a bill amending the Mining and Geological Law. The bill enters into force 1^st January 2012.
The 17^th Meeting of the Heads of European State Mining Authorities - organized by the SMA - takes place in Cracow.
Under the motto "Mining with Principles", the celebrations of 90 years of mining supervision in Poland begin.

2012

On June 22nd in the Coal Mining Museum in Zabrze ceremonial celebrations of 90 years of mining supervision in Poland are held under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland Bronisław Komorowski.
On August 27^th a mutual agreement of cooperation is signed by the the President of the SMA and the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection - Piotr Litwa and Małgorzata Krasnodębska-Tomkiel respecitively.
On September 14^th in Donieck, Ukraine, the President of SMA Piotr Litwa signs the Declaration of Cooperation between the SMA and the Ukrainian State Service of Mining Supervision and Industrial Safety.
On October 25^th during the ongoing celebrations of 90 years of mining supervision in Poland a new SMA's mining supervision heritage hall is opened.
On November 16^th the SMA's President Piotr Litwa receives the prestigious "Black Diamonds" Special Award for people, institutions, organizations or companies rendering great merit to the development of Silesian industry.

2013

On January 19^th the SMA is honoured by the Hard-coal Mining Employers' Association with the "Oskard" - an award for people or institutions shaping the face of the mining industry and improving the Silesian region.
On January 19^th the President of SMA Piotr Litwa receives the Platinum Laurel for Skill and Competence. It is awarded during the celebrations of 90 years of mining supervision in Poland and in recognition of the President's personal merit to the extracting industry.
Marzena Rabiasz, the 1st female mining-police officer in the rank of a general and the Director of the District Mining Office in Kielce, is presented with "Narcyz 2013" - an award by the Rybnik Industrial District's Chamber of Industry and Commerce for exceptional women representing culture, science, politics, medicine, among other fields.

2014

On April 1^st the new SMA's Statute enters into force changing its organizational structure. Two new departments are established: the Department of Underground and Opencast Mining and the Department of Borehole Mining and Drilling, as well as the Internal Control and Audit Office.

2015

The District Mining Office in Gdańsk is established.

2016

As of now, minister competent for energy supervises the President of SMA.

2017

On 1 April, the joint project of the Saxony Mining Authority, the State Mining Authority and the Marshal's Office of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship - ‘Life with Mining’ (MineLife) The project was co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund as part of the INTERREG Poland-Saxony Cooperation Programme 2014-2020.
On 20 July, the organisational structure of mining authorities changed with the entry into force of the new SMA statute. New departments, offices and independent divisions were established in the SMA: the Mining Department, the Working Conditions and Training Department, the Social Communication Office, the Office - Archive of Mine Survey and Geological Documentation, Administration and Maintenance Office, the independent divisions: Human Resources and Training, Information Technology and the Independent Officer for Control.
On 11 December, as part of the jubilee celebrations of the Miners' Day in the State Mining Authority, a ceremony was held to name the Chamber of Tradition of the State Mining Authority after Jan Szczerbiński. Jan Szczerbiński - Vice-President of the State Mining Authority enjoyed great authority in the mining industry. He was the Editor-in-Chief of the State Mining Authority's monthly magazine 'The Occupational Safety and Environmental Protection in Mining' for many years. He died after a serious illness on 30 January 2008.

2018

On 12 and 13 April 2018, the twentieth anniversary conference ‘Problems of safety and health protection in Polish mining’ took place in Szczyrk. The event was held under the honorary patronage of the Minister of Energy, Krzysztof Tchórzewski. The conference was a continuation of the cyclical annual meetings initiated in 1999.
On 25 June, the Coal Mining Museum in Zabrze hosted a ceremonial signing of an agreement on establishing the Mining Documentation Centre. The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Energy Grzegorz Tobiszowski, the President of the SMA Adam Mirek, the 2nd Vice-President of the SMA Piotr Wojtacha, the President of Zabrze Małgorzata Mańka-Szulik, the Director of the Coal Mining Museum in Zabrze Bartłomiej Szewczyk and the Director of the Archives of Measurement and Geological Documentation Office of the State Mining Authority Włodzimierz Mosór.

2019

On 26-27 September 2019, the XXV Meeting of the Heads of European Mining Authorities was held in Cottbus, Germany. The meeting was attended by representatives of the mining supervisory institutions of 12 European countries. Krzysztof Król, 1st Vice President of the State Mining Authority, led the Polish delegation. The main topic of the meeting was 'Protecting communities and the environment in active and inactive mines and quarries'.
On 25 October 2019, the closing conference of the cross-border MineLife project ‘Living with Mining’ with the participation of Polish and Saxon mining institutions, was held at Łagów Palace near Zgorzelec.

2020

On 24 February 2020, the closing meeting of the Life with Mining (MineLife) Project was held at the District Mining Office in Wrocław. During the meeting, the project partners extensively discussed the tasks, shared their opinions on publications and closing the project. They also discussed the issues concerning their further cooperation and the application of project’s results.
On 17 March, the President of the State Mining Authority appointed an Extraordinary Team to deal with risks in underground mining plants in relation to COVID-19. The team's task was to develop recommendations for procedures on the epidemiological threat posed by the SARS-CoV-2 virus to be followed in mining plants.

2022

On 10 and 11 May 2022, the XXII conference ‘Problems of safety and health protection in Polish mining’ was held in Zawiercie. During the ceremonial inauguration of the session, a cooperation agreement was signed between the State Mining Authority and the Office of Technical Inspection.
On 24 June 2022, a jubilee celebration of mining supervision was held in Katowice under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda. The central part of the centenary celebrations of the State Mining Authority in Katowice took place in the concert hall of the Katowice City of Gardens.
On 25-28 September 2022, the XXVI Meeting of the Heads of European Mining Authorities was held in Krotoszyce under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda. The meeting concluded with signing two important documents - an agreement between the State Mining Authority and the State Labour Service of Ukraine and a traditional memorandum, which was the culmination of the event.
On 22 December 2022, a ‘time capsule’, prepared on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the State Mining Authority, was embedded in a specially prepared locker, secured with a commemorative plaque, at the entrance to the State Mining Authority building.

2023

On 30 and 31 March 2023, the XXIII conference ‘Problems of safety and health protection in the Polish mining industry’ was held in Zawiercie under the honorary patronage of the Minister of State Assets. More than 200 participants attended the event. The State Mining Authority organised the conference in Katowice in cooperation with the Regional Labour Inspectorate in Katowice, the Association of Mining Engineers and Technicians and the Central Mining Institute - National Research Institute.
The 27th Meeting of the Heads of Mining Authorities of European Countries was held in Prague from 18 to 20 September 2023. Delegations from 12 countries attended it. The Polish side was represented by Adam Mirek, President of the State Mining Authority, Krzysztof Król, Vice-President of the State Mining Authority, Małgorzata Waksmańska, Director of the SMA Legal Department and Dariusz Katan, Deputy Director of the SMA Mining Department. A representative of the Polish delegation delivered a paper entitled ‘Competencies of Mining Supervision’.
The 70th anniversary of the District Mining Office in Kielce was held on 27 October 2023. The ceremony was attended by the State Mining Authority’s management, the directors of the district mining offices in Kraków, Krosno, Warsaw and Lublin, the authorities of the State Labour Inspectorate in Kielce and Lodz, a representative of the Technical Supervision Authority in Kielce, the authorities of the Kielce branch of the Association of Mining Engineers and Technicians, and current and former employees of the District Mining Office in Kielce.

2024

On 6 July 2024, the Ordinance on Mining and Mine Rescue Qualification entered into force. It reinstated the possibility of conducting examinations in mining offices.
On 2 October 2024, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Polish Geological Institute and the State Mining Authority in building the Geological Museum in Warsaw. SMA President Piotr Litwa and PIG-PIB Director Krzysztof Szamałek signed the document. The signatories of the agreement undertook cooperation in promoting the protection of mineral deposits, supporting the development of geology and mining, exchanging information in the area of geological hazards, and consulting on legal solutions concerning geology and mining.
The 28th Meeting of the Heads of Mining Authorities of European Countries was held in Freiberg (Germany, Saxony) from 14-16 October 2024. Delegations from Austria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United Kingdom attended the meeting. The Polish side was represented by the President of the State Mining Authority, Piotr Litwa, and Małgorzata Waksmańska, Director of the Legal Department of the State Mining Authority. The main topic of the meeting was the education, training and recruitment of specialists for mining companies and authorities.