A comparative analysis of long-range inflows of desert dust and its mixtures over Central Poland, in particular optical properties were obtained from lidar surveys. The mineral dust inflows over Warsaw were identified based on lidar measurements and three independent models (HYSPLIT, BSC-DREAM8b, and NAAPS), which resulted in preparing unique database of optical properties of mineral dust and its mixtures. This has a potential to be used for further studies of aerosol microphysical properties. Aerosol properties during inflows were also analyzed in relation to meteorological parameters and local climatic data reveal-ing an increase in the number and duration of observed episodes of mineral dust intrusions over Poland. Optical properties of mineral dust vary with the amount and type of admixtures of other aerosols