Directions of changes of hard coal output technologies in Poland

The author presents the results being the effect of the analysis of innovative rate of individual technologies applied in opening up, development and extraction works which was carried out within the project: "scenarios of technological development of hard coal extractive industry". After presentation of opening up, development and extraction technologies that are applied in Polish hard coal industry and their classification with regard to innovation degree the author describes those technologies in a detailed manner. He brings attention to the most effective systems for hard coal deposits' opening up, development and their extraction, including the extraction of the residual coal. The attention is also paid to the safety level of the applied technologies.