The investment by one of the world’s largest copper and silver producers, KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. [KGH-WSE], in the Głogów Copper Smelter (HMG I), in western Poland, represents a milestone in the history of Polish metallurgy and puts KGHM at the forefront of copper producers.
KGHM said the state-of-the-art copper smelter is world’s largest flash furnace and electrical furnace. This unique technology is currently used only in three places in the world – one of them is Głogów. The opening ceremony at the smelter was held January 20, 2017.
This completed the implementation of the multi-annual Programme for Modernisation of Pyrometallurgy. Construction of a concentrate roasting installation, which will be launched in the fourth quarter of 2017, is an additional part of the Programme.
Its role is to remove organic carbon from the concentrate by roasting. In this way the company will reduce energy usage, produce concentrate mixture and increase the melting capacity of the concentrates in the flash furnace. Implementation of the Programme at HMG I is designed to increase the competitiveness of KGHM in the non-ferrous metals market. The Głogów smelter produces cathode copper (99.99% pure) as well as silver, gold and platinum group metal concentrates.
The main modifications and improvements under the Programme, at the Głogów Copper Smelter I, consist of the replacement of shaft furnace copper concentrate smelting technology with modern flash furnace technology and include the construction of infrastructure and facilities for the flash furnace complex.
The functionally integrated, cost-effective and environment-friendly KGHM smelter and related technology is expected to be in use for at least several decades of operation. The smelter will maintain its current capacity treating its own as well as treat imported concentrates.
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