KGHM: Historic overhaul of the ‘Głogów’ Copper Smelter completed ahead of schedule

KGHM has completed the largest maintenance and modernisation outage in the history of the ‘Głogów’ Copper Smelter ahead of schedule. The extensive scope of work covered the entire production line at the ‘Głogów’ II Copper Smelter. Such a massive project will enable the complex to operate for longer periods between scheduled maintenance outages, thereby enhancing the reliability and operational stability of KGHM’s largest smelter.

‘The completion of such comprehensive maintenance and modernisation works ahead of schedule is a testament to the excellent organisation and high level of expertise of the KGHM team, the companies within the Group and our partners. Extending the period of operational of the ‘Głogów’ II Copper Smelter between major maintenance outages from four to five years will help to increase the efficiency of KGHM’s main production line and further optimise smelting costs. The completed overhaul is also an example of effective cooperation between Polish companies in the implementation of strategic industrial projects, in accordance with local content principles’, says Mirosław Laskowski, Vice-Chairman of the Management Board of KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. responsible for Production.

The biggest overhaul in the smelter’s history

The outage at the ‘Głogów’ II Copper Smelter began on 28 June with the halting of the flash furnace production line. The following day, the electric furnace was switched off. The cost of the maintenance and modernisation work, which covered the most important smelter installations and units, amounted to several hundred million zlotys. The aim was to restore the technical condition of the equipment, machinery and process infrastructure, as well as to carry out modernisation measures to support the further optimisation of copper production costs and improve working conditions for the workforce.

‘The maintenance outage we have just completed was one of the most complex and demanding, both technically and organisationally. The scale of this project required several years of preparation, extremely precise planning, close coordination of the work and the full mobilisation of numerous teams. For the first time, during a single outage, both the flash furnace and the electric furnace underwent a major overhaul at the same time. Carrying out such a massive project is crucial for maintaining the high reliability of the smelter’s infrastructure and for the further development of production capacity’, says Jarosław Siedlecki, General Manager of the ‘Głogów’ Copper Smelter.

A smelter of strategic importance

The ‘Głogów’ Copper Smelter is one of the most important components of KGHM’s main production system and one of the largest and most technologically advanced smelting plants in Europe. ‘Głogów’ produces top-quality cathode copper with a purity of 99.99 % of Cu, which is used, among other things, in the power sector, electrical engineering, electronics, construction and modern industry. The technology used at the ‘Głogów’ smelter also enables the recovery and production of by-products, including silver, gold, lead, rhenium and sulphuric acid. The smelter operates using flash furnace technology, which enables the single-stage smelting of blister copper, and the ‘Głogów’ II Copper Smelter was the world’s first facility of its kind. The plant also holds the prestigious international Copper Mark certification.

On 16 September 2026, following the completion of work on the flash furnace, the equipment and systems were commissioned, thereby resuming the smelting of copper concentrate. On 30 September, work on the electric furnace was completed, thus bringing the maintenance outage at the ‘Głogów’ II Copper Smelter to an end.