KGHM owns two copper smelter/refineries: Głogów and Legnica, as well as the Cedynia wire rod plant. They are all located in Poland, in the Lower-Silesia region.
Production in KGHM’s smelters in Poland mainly relies on extraction from the company's copper ore deposits and associated copper concentrate production on-site. KGHM's processing strategy calls for production of about 600,000 tons of electrolytic copper with a simultaneous increase in mining efficiency in all the mines in the world. The company plans to boost the recovery of elements from copper production and continuously improve metallurgical technologies.
The technological processes in all three of KGHM's smelter/refineries are based on different solutions. In the Głogów smelter/refinery, the copper is smelted using flash furnace technology - the first such innovative installation in the world. The Głogów facility also includes a Precious Metals Plant that produces silver and gold. The Legnica smelter/refinery produces copper cathodes by means of older shaft furnace technology and electrorefining. The Cedynia wire rod plant processes electrolytic copper produced in the Głogów and Legnica facilities. Production is carried out with a modern installation for the production of wire rod using the Contirod method, without the use of billets. Upcast copper wire is also produced. Apart from copper, silver and gold, KGHM's metallurgical facilities also produce:
- lead
- refined lead
- sulphuric acid
- nickel sulphate
- selenium