Professor Boleslaw Krupinski, an enlightened miner, the organizer and first Chairman of the International Organizing Committee of the World Mining Congress so spoke about the mining profession: „A miner always was, is and will be a man of technical and social progress. Only through the perfecting of social and technical work conditions, can a miner discover the secrets and treasures of the Earth, conquer and exploit them for the benefit of all, reverse dangers caused by nature and provide the country with forces of nature”.

These beautiful words are the motto of the School of Underground Mining, which is the organizer of the International Mining Forum – a meeting of practitioners and scientists from many countries. Following these words we try to include in the Forums’ proceedings papers addressing a broad range of subjects, many a time problems extending beyond underground mining.

So it is this time. Along with topics strictly connected with underground mining, e.g.:

• techniques and technologies in underground mines,
• rock engineering problems,
• monitoring of natural hazards in underground coal mines,
• we present papers important to the development of the mining industry, related to:
• bringing into being the idea of sustainable development,
• limiting the greenhouse effect.

The International Mining Forum was held thanks to the support of the Chair of Underground Mining, the Faculty of Mining and Rock Engineering of the University of Science and Technology (AGH), the Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Science in Cracow, KGHM Polska Miedz SA, FTT Stomil Wolbrom, Katowice Coal Holding SA, LW Bogdanka SA, Elgór+ Hansen SA, MIDO Ltd, ZOK Ltd.

The organizers would also like to express their gratitude to all other persons, companies and institutions, who helped in bringing the Forum into being.

We hope that the Forum will contribute to the exchange of interesting experiences and establishing new acquaintances and friendships.

Jerzy Kicki

Chairman of the Organizing Committee 2006

See also:

• Articles
• IMF 2006 at CRC Press Online