Dear Sir/Madam,

The Polish Salt Mining Association cordially invites you to participate in the XXVI International Salt Symposium "Quo Vadis Sal", which will be held on September 21-25, 2022 at the AGH University of Science and Technology, at the Qubus Hotel in Krakow and at Kujawy.

This year, the “Quo Vadis Sal” International Symposium will be organised jointly with the celebrations of the 30th Anniversary of the Polish Salt Mining Association.

• Celebrations on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of PSGS will take place in the AGH auditorium on September 22.
• The Quo Vadis Sal Symposium will be held at the Qubus Hotel on September 22-23.
• The field trip to the Kłodawa Salt Mine will take place on September 24-25.

In view of the changing geopolitical situation and a new European climatic policy, we suggest the following key topic of our Symposium:

Salt Industry in the Light of the New Geopolitical and Climatic Challenges

I. Symposium Topics

• Salt and energy security: cavern storage facilities for hydrocarbons: present condition and plans for future development
• Green energy: cavern storages in salt deposits as energy accumulators (hydrogen and air storage facilities).   
• Salt and nuclear energy: safe storage of waste – reality and planning
•  Potassium-magnesium salts: national and global resources, with new directions of importation
• Classical and present-day salt-deposit research techniques
• Geological, mining, and environmental hazards accompanying salt extraction
• Salt business management in Poland and abroad: production, distribution, import, and export
• Underground salt mines as testimonies of salt mining traditions in Poland and abroad

II. Frame Programme of the Symposium

Wednesday, 21.09.2022

18:00–19:00 – Registration of the Participants at the Qubus Hotel in Kraków

19:00–24:00 – Ice Breaking Parties: private meetings 

Thursday, 22.09.2022

08:30–09:00 – Registration of Participants at the AGH Auditorium in Kraków

09:00 – Welcoming Addresses by His Magnificence the Rector of AGH and the PSGS President at the AGH Auditorium

09:15–12:00 – PSGS Anniversary: papers, presentations, and recognitions

12:00–13:00 – Transfer to the Qubus Hotel by coach

13:00–14:00 – Lunch at the Qubus Hotel

14:00–18:00 – Paper Sessions, with coffee breaks

18:00–18:30 – Summary of Day One

19:30 – Solemn Miner’s Dinner  

Friday, 23.09.2022

08:00–12:30 – Local excursions in Kraków

13:00–14:00 – Lunch at the Qubus Hotel

14:00–18:00 – Paper Sessions, with coffee breaks

18:00–18:30 – Summary and Conclusion of the Symposium 

19:30 – Farewell Dinner

Saturday, 24.09.2022  – Field Trip to the “Kłodawa” Salt Mine (potash and rock-salt deposits)

08:00 – Departure from the Qubus Hotel to Kłodawa by coach

12:00 – Check-in at the Uniejów Castle Hotel

13:00–17:00 – Field Trip in the underground Salt Mine

18:00 – Lunch/Dinner at the Miners’ House in Kłodawa

19:00 – Return to the Hotel. Spa and thermal pool entertainment

Sunday, 25.09.2022

08:00 – Breakfast at the Uniejów Castle Hotel

09:00–12:00 – Excursion to the Romanesque Collegiate Church in Tum and/or the Boruta Devil’s Castle in Łęczyca

11:00–19:00 – Return trip to Kraków, with a lunch break

III. Forms of Presentations

Conference Paper (up to 15 minutes + discussion)

Announcement (up to 5 minutes)

Poster (119 x 84 cm; A-0 format)

Please prepare your presentations either in the form of abstracts (2-5 pages long, including figures; MS Word, Times 12 pts., basic formatting) or full papers, drafted in accordance with the Instructions for Authors, published on the PSGS website, and mail them to:

sympozjumsolne@gmail.com

Papers and Abstracts (short papers) will be published in the Salt Review.

Important Dates

Until July 31, 2022 - Submitting papers and sending abstracts and/or articles to the Salt Review

Until 31 August 2022 - Symposium participation declaration and fee payment deadline

Symposium Fees

• 1500 zł net/gross - standard fee.
• 1000 zł net/gross  - for PSGS members (including paid contributions until 2022).
• 750 zł net/gross - for the person presenting the paper (or a member of the team), provided timely submission of the article or extended abstract (short papers) to Salt Review.
• 600 zł net/gross  - for students, retired employees of salt mining and members of PSGS awarded with the Golden Badge of the Association.
• Participation in the Symposium is completely free for guests from Ukraine.

Cost of participation in the trip to KS. Kłodawa -  500 - 700 zł depending on the number of applicants

The Symposium fee covers the following: Conference Proceedings, participation in paper and poster sessions, coffee breaks, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners.

Fees should be paid to an account at PEKAO S.A. No:  67 1240 4533 1111 0000 5423 9786

with the note "Salt Symposium 2022 + name"

Accommodation

Accommodation (60 rooms) has been pre-booked for Symposium participants at the Qubus Hotel  in Krakow

1. Cheaper discount option:

•    Single room - PLN 420 / day with breakfast, double room - PLN 460 / day with breakfast. These prices include full, non-refundable prepayment.
•  To take advantage of these prices, enter the discount code when booking: salt symposium option 1

2. The discount option is more expensive

•   Single room - PLN 480 / day with breakfast, double room - PLN 530 / day with breakfast, with the possibility of cancellation until 6.00 pm on the day of arrival, after this date, in the event of no arrival, the hotel will charge for the first night. A payment card is required to guarantee the reservation.
•   To take advantage of these prices, enter the discount code when booking:  salt symposium option 2

A pool of 60 rooms for Symposium participants is booked until July 31, 2022.

Rezerwacji pokoi dokonuje się indywidualnie:  www.qubushotel.com/hotel-krakow

There are several convenient places to stay near the Qubus Hotel, such as:

Wilga Hotel Krakow Ludwinów, ul. Przedwiośnie 16, 30-501 Kraków, tel: 12 294 44 29

The Bridge Suites, Przy Moście 7, 30-508 Kraków, tel: 123067868

Green Garden Residence, ul. Jana Henryka Dąbrowskiego 20, 30-532 Kraków, tel. 795510262

Best Western Hotel Galicya, ul Rzemieślnicza 4, 30-403 Kraków, tel. 122690772

Plaza Boutique Hotel Kraków, 17, Legionów Józefa Piłsudskiego, 30-509 Kraków, tel. 690624251

Contact with the organizers:

• E-mail: sypozjumsolne@gmail.com
• Jacek Wachowiak – Prezes PSGS               – tel. 608 685 946
• Justyna Nowińska – Sekretarz PSGS          – tel. 513 909 632
• Natalia Walczak-Torba – Skarbnik PSGS  – tel. 697 334 181

Information, application forms and current announcements will be posted on the website: www.psgs.agh.edu.pl

 Best regards,

Dr inż. Jacek Wachowiak

President of the PSGS