The Crystal Brussels Sprout Award 2016 goes to KGHM

This year the Chapter of the Award recognised the activity within the framework of the "Horizon 2020" Project, the largest framework programme in the history of the European Union, which aims to strengthen scientific excellence and raise economic competitiveness of Member States.

 – I'd like to congratulate the winners and the nominees to this year's Crystal Brussels Sprout Award – said Jarosław Gowin, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Science and Higher Education and the Chairman of the Chapter. – Poland must base its development in the coming years on innovation. The next few years and the 2020 perspective are a great opportunity to go down the road of innovation. The active involvement of Polish actors in international innovative and research projects is crucial both for the development of our science and the economy. It provides access to the latest knowledge and solutions, builds a network of cooperation and the global brand of Poland, enhances human capital.

 – I'd like to thank for recognising our involvement in international research projects. This prestigious award is a confirmation of KGHM's innovativeness  – said Rafał Pawelczak, Executive Director for Research and Innovation at KGHM Polska Miedź while receiving the prize.

 The largest challenge for KGHM is the realization of tasks within the framework of the "New Mining Concept for Extracting Metals from Deep Ore Deposits using Biotechnology" Project (acronym: BioMore), in which it performs the prestigious role of project coordinator. During the 36 months of the project it is planned to run a demo test at the production branch of the Rudna Mine.

 Another project concerning the development of an innovative technology to acquire metals from European copper deposits is the "Integrated innovative metallurgical system to benefit efficiently polymetallic, complex and low grade ores and concentrates' project (acronym: INTMET).

 In addition, KGHM is acting as a partner in the DISIRE "Integrated Process Control based on Distributed In-Situ Sensors into Raw Material and Energy Feedstock" project, as part of the SPIRE contest announcement.

The total budget for KGHM in respect of co-financed projects exceeds 1,000,000 EUR.

 The other winners for the most active Polish members of the EU's Horizon 2020 programme: the Warsaw University, the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Synektik S.A. and Professor Mikołaj Bojańczyk. Special prizes were awarded to Professor Janusz Bujnicki and Professor Janusz Hołyst.