The main objective of the project "Foresight on priority and innovative technologies for handling hard coal mining waste" (Foresight OGWK) is to identify leading technologies of mining waste management of strategic importance witch development will be a priority for Poland in the next 20 years and to provide scenarios of their development by applying systematic research method [1]. The fourth stage of the project realization was its core and dealt with conducting research with various methods to evaluate innovativeness of technologies dealing with coal mining waste management and the influence of certain factors [2, 3, 5, 6]. One of the methods used for this research was the Delphi method. It is based on structural research incorporating experience and knowledge of the research participants who are the experts in given areas. In the project, the Delphi method involves triple surveys, so that the results of previous survey were the source and basis for conducting the next one. In those surveys 170 experts have been involved, who represented hard coal mining, local administration and science sector [5]. In the Foresight OGWK Project, the survey included three thematic areas: Part I Evaluation and prioritizing strategic and particular objectives of hard coal waste management, Part II Evaluation of technological issues of hard coal waste management, Part III Estimation of directions of research and development of hard coal waste management [5]. The evaluation of innovativeness of hard coal mining waste management technology with the Delphi method reflects the hierarchy of dealing with waste according to the Act of extractive waste meaning: preventing, minimizing and economic use of resources. As the prior goal, the experts indicated "Full usage of waste currently and previously produced by hard coal mining" underlining that the possibility of reaching that goal depends on creating appropriate legal and fiscal mechanisms promoting the use of waste resources. Through the evaluation of the hierarchy in the importance of criteria influencing the innovativeness of waste management technologies the experts recognized that regardless the economic use of the waste the most important is financial criterion and technical & technological one. According to the experts the chances of technological development in particular directions of economic use of the waste result mainly from the accessibility of the waste and the necessity of minimizing mining exploitation effects, on the other hand the problems may result from the necessity of creating additional infrastructure and lack of financial means. The experts also claim that there is an urgent need of conducting research and development works on new innovative technologies of using hard coal mining waste and on issuing technical requirements for reclamation works. To conclude, it must be stated that there is an urgent need of creating complete hard coal mining waste management plan, creating legal and institutional conditions facilitating technological development of mining sector and providing financial instruments supporting technological initiatives in the subject of hard coal mining waste management.
