Poland ranked third globally in mined zinc, sixth in silver, seventh in coal and sulfur (a major export commodity), among the top ten in mine copper (3% of world output, and second in Europe and Central Eurasia), and was a leading producer in Central Eurasia and Europe of lead, lime, nitrogen, and salt. Poland had 9% of world sulfur reserves, 6% of world copper ore reserves, and had significant resources of bituminous coal, salt, silver, and lead and zinc ores. The production of iron and steel comprised Poland's second-leading industry in 2002, and coal mining ranked third. The mining and quarrying sector, which included mineral fuels and processing, accounted for 6% of GDP, which grew by 4% in 2000. Total sales by the mining and quarrying sector (excluding coal mining) contracted by 1.5% in the year. The base-metals-producing sector registered a 10% increase in sales, while those of the industrial minerals sector rose by 7%.
Mine output of metals in 2000 included: zinc, 170,000 tons, down from 185,689 in 1999; silver, 1,144 tons; copper (metal content of ore and concentrate), 990,000 tons; and lead (metal content of various ores), 155,000 tons, down from 185,207 in 1999. All copper ore was mined by KGHM S.A., in the Lubin area; the government's share in KGHM's stock was 52%. Total copper reserves were 2,300 million tons containing 44 million tons of metal. Lead and zinc resources totaled 184 million tons; limestone and marl, 17,450 million tons; and gravel aggregates, 14,600 million tons. No gold was mined in 2000. Important industrial minerals produced in 2000 included hydraulic cement(14.8 million tons), glass sand (1.4 million tons), and sulfur (native [Frasch)], byproduct, and from gypsum), 3.46 million tons. Also produced in 2000 were antimony, cobalt, germanium, nickel, selenium, anhydrite, diatomite, feldspar, fuller's earth, fire clay, kaolin, gypsum, magnesite ore, nitrogen, foundry sand, filing sand, lime sand, quartz, quartz crystal, sodium compounds, dolomite, limestone, crushed stone, and dimension stone. Barite mining, at Boguszow, was stopped in 1997, because of large-scale flooding. Also not produced in 2000 were bentonite, calcined magnesite, magnesite concentrate, and quartz schist.
Poland's mining and mineral-processing industry was extensive and appeared well positioned to respond to the country's rising needs for all forms of raw materials, especially those consumed by the construction sector. A major trend in Poland's nonferrous metals sector was the denationalization program that encompassed the aluminum, copper, and zinc industries. The acquisition of former German territories in 1945 enriched Poland with hard coal and, to a lesser extent, zinc and lead. Iron ore was found around Czestochowa, in south-central Poland, but in deposits of low metal content. Uranium deposits occurred in Lower Silesia.