Niedźwiada Kolonia II is a deposit separated from the Górka Lubartowska deposit, and amber here is a co-occurring mineral to natural aggregate and glauconitic sediments. The raw material extracted from this deposit can be used in the jewellery and medical industries.
Amber extraction – only 40 kg
In 2022, no extraction was carried out despite seven active concessions for the deposits: Górka Lubartowska VIII, Górka Lubartowska IX, Górka Lubartowska-Leszkowice, Górka Lubartowska-Niedźwiada, Leszkowice 1, Niedźwiada II and Niedźwiada III.
Information received by the PIG-PIB from the marshals of the Lublin, Pomeranian, Warmian-Masurian and West Pomeranian voivodeships shows that in 2022, as a result of work carried out under approved geological works projects, amber was extracted only in the Pomeranian Voivodeship – in the amount of 40 kg.
In 2022, in the Pomeranian Voivodeship, 3 new geological work projects for the exploration and prospecting of amber deposits were approved, in the Lublin Voivodeship – one (concluding with the documentation of the Niedźwiada Kolonia II deposit), while in the remaining two voivodeships the marshals did not issue any new decisions approving such work projects.
It is estimated (though this estimate is very approximate) that an annual yield of amber collected on the beaches is possible in the amount of about 5 to 6 tonnes.
Thwarted attempts to smuggle amber
Information obtained from the National Revenue Administration shows that in 2022 the Customs and Revenue Service seized a total of 11.6 kg of amber during attempts at smuggling across Poland's external borders (road, sea and air border crossings). As a result of an auction, 1,433 kg of the seized amber was sold. In addition, during an inspection at one of the companies, in a case unrelated to smuggling, 166 kg of amber was secured.
Where in Poland are amber deposits found?
In Poland, numerous occurrences of amber are confirmed in Palaeogene (in situ accumulations) and Quaternary formations (secondary accumulations). Apart from amber occurrences in the beach zone of the Baltic Sea (especially the eastern part), which are the subject of collection and „professional” gathering (so-called amber fishers), amber deposits are also located in the Pomeranian and Lublin Voivodeships. In Palaeogene sediments, amber occurs in situ in the coastal zones of the Eocene sea. In the northern zone (the so-called Chłapowo-Sambian delta), the best-explored area is Chłapowo, where amber-bearing sediments (the so-called „blue earth”) occur at a depth of 60 – 130 m.
In the southern zone (the so-called Parczew Delta) in the Parczew area, amber-bearing Palaeogene deposits occur at shallower depths in many areas, namely down to 20 – 30 m. The Górka Lubartowska deposit (Parczew Delta) is formed of silty-sandy deltaic sediments of the Upper Eocene containing amber. The amber-bearing layer occurs below the building sand deposit with an average thickness of approximately 12 m.
In Palaeogene deposits, amber also occurs in the region of Możdżanowo near Ustka – in Upper Eocene sands and gravels forming a glacial floe within Quaternary deposits. The amber-bearing series, with an average thickness of 1.98 m, occurs there at a depth of approx. 11 m.
Quaternary amber accumulations are found in deposits transported by glaciers and meltwater rivers from degraded Palaeogene formations, mainly sediments of the Chłapowo-Sambian delta. Amber accumulations are also found on Baltic beaches from Kołobrzeg to the state border on the Vistula Spit, where it occurs in fossil and modern beach deposits.
Source: Balance of mineral resources deposits in Poland – as of 31 December 2022