The renovation of the concrete water storage tank, a key element of the Pniówek coal mine in Upper Silesia, Poland, was completed in early 2024. The Penetron System, a comprehensive crystalline waterproofing system, was specified to optimize the service life of the renovated concrete water storage tank.
ORLANDO, Fla., June 30, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The renovation of the concrete water storage tank, a key element of the Pniówek coal mine in Upper Silesia, Poland, was completed in early 2024. The Penetron System, a comprehensive crystalline waterproofing system, was specified to optimize the service life of the renovated concrete water storage tank.
Today, Poland's coal-mining industry remains the largest coal producer in the EU and still supplies around 45% of Poland's energy needs. The mines are concentrated in Upper Silesia, in the Silesia region on the upper Oder River, north of the Eastern Sudetes Mountains that largely define the Polish-Czech border.
Sitting on one of the largest coal reserves in Poland, the Pniówek coal mine is a large mine in Upper Silesia, about 350 km (217 miles) southwest of Warsaw, the capital of Poland. The mine produces around 5.16 million tons of coal annually. During the mine's most recent upgrades, the large reinforced concrete water tank required a reliable waterproofing solution that would protect the structure from the aggressive compounds in the water.
"Mining consumes vast amounts of water, which is used to prevent mining equipment from overheating and coal dust in the mine from catching fire," explains Dariusz Samcik, Director of Penetron Polska. "The resulting coal wastewater is highly contaminated and when stored in a tank, the structure is exposed to chemical attack."
Because of the exposure to the aggressive compounds in the coal water, the project engineers at Pniówek contacted Penetron to provide a waterproofing solution. PENETRON ADMIX, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, was added to the concrete mix for the mine's concrete storage tank. PENETRON, a topical crystalline waterproofing material, was topically applied to seal all tie-holes and to provide protection from future water penetration.
Once applied to a prepared concrete surface or added to the concrete as an admixture, the proprietary chemicals in Penetron's crystalline products react in a catalytic reaction with moisture to generate a non-soluble crystalline formation throughout the pores and capillary tracts of the concrete. The resulting formation self-heals and seals pores and microcracks, decreasing permeability and making the concrete structure waterproof and durable.
Dariusz Samcik emphasized that the Penetron System "ensured the watertightness of the tank and greatly enhanced the resistance of the concrete structure to chemical attack."
The Penetron Group is a leading manufacturer of specialty construction products for concrete waterproofing, concrete repairs, and floor preparation systems. The Group operates through a global network, offering support to the design and construction community through its regional offices, representatives, and distribution channels.
For more information on PENETRON crystalline technology solutions, please visit http://www.penetron.com, email: [email protected] or contact our Corporate Relations Department at 631-941-9700.
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Corporate Relations, The Penetron Group, 631-941-9700, [email protected], www.penetron.com
SOURCE The Penetron Group
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