The 52nd Presidium Meeting of the International Society for Mine Surveying (ISM) has been held in Krakow, Poland from July 6th to 8th, 2025. This meeting is hosted by AGH University in Krakow and the Polish Society for Mine Surveying, with delegates from 10 countries including Poland, Germany, China, South Africa, Australia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Uzbekistan, Hungary, and Kenya attending. This presidium meeting reviewed the minutes of the previous meeting, listened to reports from various ISM Commissions and member countries, nominated and confirmed new members and responsible persons of each ISM Commission, as well as national representatives from some member countries, and discussed issues related to international mining surveying education reform, discipline construction, and technological innovation.
Group photo of delegates at AGH University in Krakow
An academic seminar on the theme of "Mine Surveying and Geological Hazards: Current Trends and Future Directions" was also held simultaneously. There are a total of 14 academic reports focusing on topics such as mining subsidence, surface deformation measurement, utilization of abandoned mines, mine surveying education, hyperspectral remote sensing, and space mining. The attendees enthusiastically discussed these cutting-edge topics.
On the last day of the meeting, the organizing committee led some participants to visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine. Located near Krakow, Poland, it was first mined in the 13th century and was listed as a national monument in Poland in 1976. In 1978, it was listed as the oldest rock salt mine in Europe and included in the World Cultural Heritage. In 1994, it was established as a historical site by a decree of the Polish President. The shallowest point of the salt mine is 64 meters underground, and the deepest point is 327 meters. The total length of the tunnel exceeds 250 kilometers, and it is mined in nine layers, including underground churches, salt carvings, and lakes.
Group photo of delegates at Wieliczka Salt Mine
Prior to this meeting, Professor Bian Zhengfu, Chair of the ISM Commission Ⅰ, also visited Hu Shaofeng, Director of the Science Policy and Basic Sciences Division of the Natural Sciences Department of UNESCO, and Amal Kasry, Director of the Basic Sciences and Engineering Division in Paris, France. Hu Shaofeng warmly welcomed the visit of the delegation from ISM and introduced the organizational structure of the UNESCO Department of Natural Sciences, as well as the key projects being promoted, including the United Nations International Decade of Science for Sustainable Development (2024-2033), open science projects, remote sharing of experimental equipment and facilities, and international engineering entrepreneurship training camps. Bian Zhengfu provided a detailed introduction to the basic situation of ISM and had in-depth exchanges on promoting cooperation between the ISM and UNESCO. At the meeting, both parties agreed to cooperate in areas such as curriculum development, teacher training, and scientific research to jointly address global challenges such as climate change and energy resources.
Prof. Bian Zhengfu, Chair of the ISM Commission Ⅰ, visits UNESCO
