Mining tremor in Lubin, Poland: 13 miners safe, 7 still underground as evacuation unfolds
A series of seismic tremors at the Lubin copper mine in Lower Silesia, Poland, on the morning of 11 July 2026 prompted the evacuation of 20 miners. The strongest, measured at 4.9 on the Richter scale, left seven workers still in the danger zone hours later.
A strong seismic event and subsequent shocks forced the evacuation of miners from the oldest copper mine in Poland's Copper Basin on Saturday morning. Rescuers are working to bring the remaining seven to the surface.
Sequence of tremors
Seismic stations across Europe recorded the most powerful tremor at 8:11 a.m. local time. Gazeta Wrocławska reported a magnitude of 4.9 on the Richter scale, while KGHM Polska Miedź described it as a mining-scale "seven". An earlier, weaker tremor had been detected shortly after 6:00 a.m. at the Polkowice-Sieroszowice mine, linked to routine blasting and with no workers in the area.
The main shock was followed by weaker ones at 8:31 and 9:18 a.m. The later event was rated as a mining "six". Mirosław Kuk, director of the communication department at KGHM, said such tremors occur regularly but this one was exceptionally strong.
The incident occurred at 8:11. The rescue operation is currently underway. Thirteen miners have already been brought to the surface; seven are still underground.
- First seismic event at Polkowice-Sieroszowice mine, associated with blasting; no miners in the area.
- Strongest tremor at Lubin mine, magnitude 4.9 Richter (mining scale 'seven'); evacuation of 20 miners begins.
- Weaker tremor recorded; seismic stations detect vibrations across Europe.
- Another tremor, mining scale 'six', in Lubin GG-1 area; 13 miners confirmed safe, 7 still in danger zone.
Rescue and evacuation
Immediately after the 8:11 tremor, the mine began pulling workers from the hazard zone. The company's in-house mine rescue unit, the JGRH, was deployed. By mid-morning, 13 miners were confirmed safe. The remaining seven were being extracted as the operation continued.
No injuries had been reported by the time the last official updates were issued. KGHM stated that further information would be shared only after operations concluded, with the priority being the safe withdrawal of personnel.
The Lubin deposit
The Zakłady Górnicze Lubin is the oldest mine in the Polish Copper Basin. It extracts polymetallic ore rich in copper and silver. According to data published by wnp.pl, the Lubin-Małomice deposit held over 319 million tonnes of industrial ore reserves as of 31 December 2024, with an average copper content of 1.23% and silver content of 53 grams per tonne.
What residents felt
The tremor was felt on the surface across a wide radius, including in the town of Lubin and even several dozen kilometres away, according to TVP3 Wrocław. Residents described chandeliers swaying and furniture shaking.
It shook a lot. I live on the fifth floor. Chandeliers were swinging, even the wardrobe was rocking. I felt like the whole apartment was floating. My neighbour got scared, thinking something was wrong with her pacemaker.
A resident from Polkowice, identified only as Anna, told Gazeta Wrocławska that the movement was felt even while preparing a drink. The company has not yet reported any damage to infrastructure or injuries underground.
