Located in central Poland, the Kłodawa salt dome is 26 km long and about 2 km wide. Exploitation of the dome started in 1956, currently rock salt extraction is carried out in 7 mining fields and the 12 mining levels at the depth from 322 to 625 meters below sea level (m.b.s.l.). It is planned to maintain the mining activity till 2052 and extend rock salt extraction to deeper levels. The dome is characterised by complex geological structure resulted from halokinetic and tectonic processes.Projection of the 3D numerical analysis took into account the following factors: mine working distribution within the Kłodawa mine (about 1000 rooms, 350 km of galleries), complex geological structure of the salt dome, complicated structure and geometry of mine workings and distinction in rocks mechanical properties e.g. rock salt and anhydrite. Analysis of past mine workings deformation and prediction of future rock mass behaviour was divided into four stages: building of the 3D model (state of mine workings in year 2014), model extension of the future mine workings planned for extraction in years 2015-2052, the 3D model calibration and stability analysis of all mine workings.The 3D numerical model of Kłodawa salt mine included extracted and planned mine workings in 7 mining fields and 14 mining levels (about 2000 mine workings). The dimensions of the model were 4200 m × 4700 m × 1200 m what was simulated by 33 million elements. The 3D model was calibrated on the grounds of convergence measurements and laboratory tests. Stability assessment of mine workings was based on analysis of the strength/stress ratio and vertical stress. The strength/stress ratio analysis enabled to indicate endangered area in mine workings and can be defined as the factor of safety. Mine workings in state close to collapse are indicated by the strength/stress ratio equals 1. Analysis of the vertical stress in mine workings produced the estimation of current state of stress in comparison to initial (pre-mining) conditions.The long-term deformation analysis of the Kłodawa salt mine for year 2014 revealed that stability conditions were fulfilled. Local disturbances indicated in the numerical analysis were connected with high chambers included in the mining field no 1 and complex geological structure in the vicinity of mine workings located in the mining fields no 2 and 3. Moreover, numerical simulations that projected the future extraction progress (till year 2052) showed positive performance. Local weakness zones in the mining field no 7 are associated with occurrence of carnallite layers and intensive mining which are planned in the mining field no 6 at the end of rock salt extraction.

The extraction of the Bełchatów lignite deposit located in the vicinity of the Dębina salt dome requires careful planning that considers the influence of mining projects on the slope and salt dome stability conditions. The instability problem is directly related to horizontal and vertical displacement, as well as the complex geological and mining conditions. These conditions are very unique with regard to the co-occurrence of the salt dome and lignite deposits in the same area, as well as the large scale of the pit wall slope. Thus, predicting rock mass behavior and ensuring the safety of mining operations are important issues. The presented analysis focused on the influence of long-term lignite extraction on the western pit wall slope of the Bełchatów field and the salt dome’s stability conditions. This study offers a comprehensive approach to a complex geotechnical problem defined by large-scale, complex geometry, and geological conditions. The rock mass behavior and stress conditions are simulated in numerical modelling. The results of the presented analysis will be useful not only for present mining activities but also for future developments related to post-mining and recultivation plans.

This study presents a comprehensive assessment of the morphology and porosity of microstructured charcoal using a combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), computed tomography (CT), and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) methods. SEM analysis revealed a parallel arrangement of tube-like structures interspersed with smaller pores, confirming the presence of fibrous formations. MIP evaluation was conducted in two research series. MIP results identified macropores as the primary contributors to mercury intrusion; however, a minor volume of mercury also intrudes to the mesopores. The total pore area was determined to range between 70.7 and 88.5 m²·g⁻¹, with porosity values of approximately 58.0–62.4% across different experimental series. These variations highlight the heterogeneous nature of the sample. Additionally, the uniformity of the charring process during dry wood distillation was indicated by wall thickness measurements, which ranged narrowly from 5.7 to 25 µm.

The article presents the results of the third research stage on the potential microstructured charcoal additives in ANFO. The charcoal powder was liquid adsorption-treated with Fe in various ratios. Adding MC-Fe to ANFO changed the exothermic peak’s position from ca. 280 °C to 250 °C due to lower activation energy, which influenced the kinetics of the reaction. Bruceton’s test indicated that the MC-Fe addition to ANFO resulted in ca. 10% lower initiation energy in comparison with pure ANFO. However, the energy level did not influence the potential applicability of the additives. The fumes analysis indicated a lower concentration of CO for all tested samples; however, the concentration of NO_x rose. The thermodynamic calculations confirmed the experimental results, which could be explained by the increased positive oxygen balance. Moreover, all analyses showed that the most promising blasting properties referred to the ANFO sample containing the microstructured charcoal additive of a C:Fe ratio of 4:1. Therefore, further research will be dedicated to advanced studies between the chemical composition of this specific ANFO sample and its physicochemical and blasting properties.

The geological structure of the Bełchatów area is very complicated as a result of tectonic and sedimentation processes. The long-term exploitation of the Bełchatów field influenced the development of horizontal displacements. The variety of factors that have impact on the Bełchatów western slope stability conditions, forced the necessity of complex geotechnical monitoring. The geotechnical monitoring of the western slope was carried out with the use of slope inclinometers. From 2005 to 2013 fourteen slope inclinometers were installed, however, currently seven of them are in operation. The present analysis depicts inclinometers situated in the north part of the western slope, for which the largest deformations were registered. The results revealed that the horizontal displacements and formation of slip surfaces are related to complicated geological structure and intensive tectonic deformations in the area. Therefore, the influence of exploitation marked by changes in slope geometry was also noticeable.