Metallurgy at KGHM Polish Copper SA

Abstract

Metallurgy of KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. is one of the world leaders in the production of copper. It is the result of high volume and quality production of copper and silver, as well as the use of modern technology direct to copper process in flash smelting furnace in HMG II. Soon this will be also the case for HMG I. The intention is to modernise, and upgrade technological processes within all the smelters to increase effectiveness, also to decrease production costs, and improve contamination of environment. In the year 2014 production of electrolytic copper increased about 2% in respect to 2013, and reached the record value 577 thousands ton. Production of silver increased 8% attaining value of 1256 ton. These perfect results were obtained through optimisation of smelting processes from one side, and rising the content of own concentrates, and foreign batches with higher content of precious metals. Production of metallic gold in 2014 was equal to 2,5t. Moreover KGHM is the third world producer of rhenium. They produce also lead technical and refined, as well as selenium, nickel sulphate, and platinum-palladium concentrate. The KGHM is also substantial producer of sulphuric acid, what is the direct effect of very efficient technology of desulphurisation of exhausts in the used metallurgical processes. The challenge for future is to increase retrieving of elements associated with copper production on every phase of the production. Due to the use of new technologies one expects also to achieve improved retrieving of other metals. Since 20% of KGHM revenue comes from silver, this is an important position in the overall balance of corporation focused mainly on copper exploitation. This is also why KGHM develops co-operations with scientific centres on the level bigger than laboratory (i.e. demo and/or pilot scales). The corporation is directly involved in research and development (subsidised national and international projects), while the value of these projects exceeds 200 mln PLN. There were created several collaborations with academic institutions targeting improvement of retrieval of energy from exploration processes, increase automation, remote control mining, and others. All of them are state of the art, and very modern technologies. KGHM must stay innovative, to preserve its market advantage. Metallurgy itself using own implemented technologies, resumes extended efforts to explore fully the richness of elements associated with the main metals.