Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute (PGI-NRI) fulfils the role of a state geological survey. One of the main tasks is elaborating the balance of mineral resources deposits in Poland – on the basis of the Geological and Mining Law adopted on 9 June 2011 (Official Journal of 2016, Item 1131 – unified text, later reapproved). The collations contained in “The balance…” and all necessary calculations are being prepared on the basis of data from the System of management and protection of mineral resources in Poland – MIDAS, which is available at MIDAS.
The data source for the part of the MIDAS system called as Mineral resources deposits are geological documentations prepared for deposits according to the regulations of the Geological and Mining Law. The geological administration authorities, who can approve the documentation by decision (Article 93, paragraph 2) are obliged to send the copies of decision to the geological authorities of the local jurisdiction. A copy of the geological documentation also has to be attached. When the Minister of the Environment is the local jurisdiction authority, the geological documentation has to be sent to the state geological survey which carries out the central geological archive (National Geological Archive) (Article 94, paragraph 1, point 4 and paragraph 3). Data sources for resources changes and the output volumes are statistical forms prepared by concession holders and sent annually to the PGI-NRI according to the Regulation of the Minister of the Environment adopted on 15 November 2011 (Official Journal of 262, Item 1568).
The data sources for mineral deposits boundaries, presented i.a. in the part of the MIDAS system devoted to maps, are usually geological documentations. If the contour can not be obtained from the documentation the data sources are documents being sent to the Registry of mining areas and closed underground carbon dioxide storage facilities.
The Registry of mining areas and closed underground carbon dioxide storage facilities – a part of the MIDAS system – is a detailed evidence of all mining areas in Poland carried out on the basis of the Geological and Mining Law. According to the article 152a, paragraph 4 of the Law the concession authority sends to the registry of mining areas the documents which will form a base to make the registration ex officio. In line with paragraph 5.1 of the Regulation of the Minister of the Environment adopted on 16 October 2014 (Official Journal of 2014, Item 1469) the documents should be forwarded by the concession authority within 14 days from the day when decision delineating the mining area becomes final. The concession authority is also obliged to report to the Registry any changes of data which are recorded in the registry book.
These statutory duties of concession authorities and concession holders strongly affect the topicality of data contained in the MIDAS system. Because not all of the elaborated geological documentations and documents connected with mining areas and counties are being sent to PGI-NRI regularly, the data in the MIDAS system can sometimes be incomplete. In such cases, the data do not reflect the full state of documentation and licensing of mineral deposits in Poland. PGI-NRI is not responsible for the shortages resulting from failure to comply with the obligation and from incorrectly developed geological documentations of mineral deposits and papers forwarded to the Registry. Moreover, the resources of the MIDAS system can be heterogeneous due to the changes of regulations, including the Geological and Mining Law, and the changes of rules of conducting the MIDAS system (carried out since 1987). At that time, the information in the MIDAS system may require a supplement.
PGI-NRI uses best efforts to provide the high quality of data presented in the MIDAS system. Currently there are works being carried out to verify and harmonize of the data, including the obtaining of missing geological documentations for the National Geological Archive resources.
Therefore, the data in the MIDAS system coming from the sources mentioned above present of a demonstrative type. Subject to constraints resulting from the mandatory legal provisions, PGI-NRI is not responsible for the legal repercussions arising from the use of materials and data sets disclosed in the MIDAS system. In order to perform legal, administrative or official actions there should be legally binding documents used (i.e. mineral deposits geological documentations, concession decisions for exploitation of a mineral from the deposit).
In case of doubts with reference to quality/compatibility of data obtained from the database, please contact at email@example.com.
Information available in the System of management and protection of mineral resources in Poland – MIDAS at geoportal.pgi.gov.pl/midas-web is the information of a public sector. The rules regulating its re-using are described at:
http://www.pgi.gov.pl/rejestry-i-bazy-danych-geologicznych/zasady-korzystania-z-isp.html (in Polish and in English).