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Polish sediment-hosted stratiform copper deposits associated with Zechstein sediments are one of the country’s most valuable natural resources and the basis for its copper industry. The paper presents the history of their research and current exploration. Although documented deposits and their identified resources are described and characterized, much attention is paid to areas located outside of them, including those where geological exploration is currently underway. The gradual depletion of shallow Cu–Ag reserves in the Lubin-Sieroszowice district and elsewhere in the world requires exploration for deeper-seated deposits. To expand resources, time span and scale of copper production in Poland, exploration and definition of new prospects is of great importance. Thirty-five prospective areas with hypothetical and speculative resources have been delineated in SW Poland, including the most prospective areas adjacent to the Cu–Ag Lubin-Sieroszowice deposit. The paper also focuses on those parts of the Fore-Sudetic Monocline where new copper deposits were recently identified. Their resources are described along with the methodology of establishing their boundaries, which differs from recommended Polish threshold parameters not taking into account the depths exceeding 1500 m. Intelligent modern mining and ore processing technologies are considered as a prerequisite for future profitable development of deposits at deeper levels.

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The most significant copper reserves in Poland are confined to sediment-hosted stratiform Kupferschiefer-type deposits that occur at the Zechstein/Rotliegendes transition in the Fore-Sudetic Monocline and North-Sudetic Trough. Gradual depletion of shallow reserves results in exploitation of deeper beds. Latest studies of numerous drill hole cores strongly indicate that the Kupferschiefer series in SW Poland (outside the Lubin-Sieroszowice Copper District) contains a very large volume of prognostic, prospective and hypothetical resources. 38 prospects have been delineated (including 6 areas with prognostic resources, 4 with prospective resources, and 28 areas with hypothetical resources). Among the prospective areas, particular attention is paid to the areas adjacent to the existing mines of Lubin-Sieroszowice copper district, with prognostic resources (Białołęka, Grochowice, Kulów, Luboszyce). Also the areas: Nowiny, Żarków and Mirków are interesting due to accessible depths, Sulmierzyce and Janowo areas due to considerable resources and reasonable depth, and Mozów area – because of high Cu-Ag grading mineralized body with credible continuation to south east through Jany and Grochowice prospects, towards the Lubin-Sieroszowice mining district. It can be estimated that approximately 179 million tons Cu and 346 thousand tons Ag concentrated as potential resources in prospects of SW Poland for future mining, which will be possible, when geological and technological barriers (depth, temperature, oil and gas) will meet economic trends in the world market. Expected progress in underground mining at depths exceeding 1500 m (a depth limit for economic categories) will make this approach effective and technically possible. Additional six prospective areas have been delineated in the contact zone between Upper Silesia and Małopolska blocks, where porphyry-type Mo-Cu-W mineralization (locally with skarns) occurs within porphyry/granitoid rocks and Ediacaran, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian and Carboniferous metasediments and other sedimentary formations. It should be noted, however, that irregular network of examined drill holes tended to simplify the ranges of prospects and to overestimate resource evaluation. Extensive deep exploration drilling is required to verify resource potential of granted and applied exploration licenses in several targets. The long-term challenges require new solutions for mining industry of the future and industrial market within the EU, to enable the reindustrialization of Europe.

Inorganic and organic geochemical data obtained from contact-metasomatic and skarn-like mineralisation and associated country rocks from the Zloty Stok Au-As deposit in Southwest Poland have been studied. Magnetite-rich calcite-dolomite marbles have the highest total organic carbon content of the rocks studied. Organic matter consists of solid bitumen, with a minor extractable fraction composed mainly of low molecular weight aromatics. There are positive correlations between organic matter and Fe 2 O 3 and MgO content, suggesting remobilisation of organic matter by the hydrothermal fluids during serpentinisation processes. Results of the organic geochemical and isotope studies suggest that the hydrocarbons were formed by thermal and later hydrothermal alteration of indigenous organic matter. The ranges of d 34 S values of sulphides show that in Au-rich arsenopyrite and pyrrhotite, most of the sulphur may have originated from a magmatic source. However, some of results indicate a contribution from isotopically heavier sulphur, most probably associated with fluids derived from the metamorphic sedimentary environment. Rare earth element patterns of the mineralised samples point to a granitic source of the studied orebodies.

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