Wałbrzych outpaces the industrial towns of Lower Silesia in terms of valuable preserved industrial buildings and associated infrastructure. Old mine facilities are excellent examples of technological development and they are considered to be the most precious monuments of technology. However, their future is uncertain because industrial restructuring in recent years has led to the closing down of a number of companies. Placing these facilities under museum protection is one measure of preserving them. The author presents this problem using the Julia Mine facilities, dating back to the late 18th century, as an example.
Hard coal mining generates large amounts of waste. The Wałbrzych region is one area where huge amounts of rock debris are produced. In the Wałbrzych mines, waste rock has been disposed improperly in terms of the natural environment, especially in recent years, and it has contributed to environmental degradation. The author discusses the reasons for this situation.