"Poltegor - Institute" is the country's leading research unit in the field of opencast mining, including lignite, raw materials, chemical raw materials and aggregates. The Institute operates in the areas of mining and geology, environment, energy and belt transportation.

The Institute's strategic goal is to create innovative, clean and environmentally friendly mining technologies in the surface mining industry, as well as in the reclamation and revitalization of post-mining areas. The main directions of the Institute's activities are research and development in the fields of civil engineering, environmental engineering and industrial waste management.

The history of the "Poltegor-Institute" dates back to 1950. At that time, a branch of the Central Bureau of Coal Industry Projects in Katowice was established in Wroclaw. In 1955, it was transformed into an independent Lower Silesian Bureau of Mining Projects (DBPG). On January 1, 1968, as a result of the merger of the DBPG with the Research and Development Lignite the Central Research and Design Center for Lignite Mining Poltegor (COBPGO Poltegor) was established in Wroclaw. In 1990, the "Poltegor-Institute" Institute of Opencast Mining was established from the scientific and research division of COBPGO Poltegor.