Assessment of the qualitative and quantitative stability of “Wieliczka” Salt Mine (Poland) brines and of their possible use for medicinal purposes

Abstract

Water inflow to a salt mine usually poses a threat to the mine and sometimes even to its existence. On the other hand the healing properties of salt have been known since Antiquity and brines extracted from the mines have been used in the treatment of various diseases. The “Wieliczka” Salt Mine in southern Poland has been conducting organized rehabilitation and therapeutic activities for respiratory tract diseases for almost 200 years. This paper presents preliminary results of a study focused on pre-selection of out-of-deposit water inflows into the mine workings which show the lowest variability in yield and in chemical composition, and which can potentially be used in the health resort operated by the mine. The results indicate that brines from the WVII-16 leak are the only ones which can be taken into account when considering the use of Wieliczka brines for medicinal purposes for baths, rinses, irrigation, and at lower mineralisation levels, in liquid treatments