The Ministry of Climate and Environment has attributed the excessive salinity primarily to nearby mining operations. To address this, three desalination plants are planned at mining sites, with one existing facility slated for modernization, the Polish Rzeczpospolita daily reported on Wednesday.
The initiative is part of a broader government-led "Oder Rescue Plan," expected to be unveiled by the end of September and aiming to significantly reduce the river's salinity.
Key players in the mining sector, including KGHM, Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa (JSW), Polska Grupa Górnicza (PGG), and Spółka Restrukturyzacji Kopalń (SRK), have been tasked with drafting a preliminary investment plan for the industry by that deadline.
KGHM, a major player in the Polish mining industry, is set to develop one of the desalination plants. According to Rzeczpospolita, KGHM's management approved a resolution in June 2023 to conduct a feasibility study for a new facility aimed at producing evaporated salt from the saline waters extracted from its mining operations.
Two additional desalination plants are expected to be constructed near the ROW coal mine in Rybnik, while JSW plans to expand its existing installation at the Budryk mine.
The cost of the new desalination installations is estimated between PLN 1 billion and PLN 1.5 billion (EUR 351 million). It remains unclear how the mining companies will finance these projects, though they may seek EU funds, public aid, or use their own resources.
(jh)
Source: IAR, Rzeczpospolita
