Welcome to the flash furnace

After a series of full-scale trials of the flash furnace’s feed loading system, continuous feed of the concentrate and its smelting in the reaction shaft of the flash furnace commenced. At the same time, after a three-month shutdown, the production of unrefined copper was recommenced at the Głogów I Copper Smelter/Refinery, but in a completely new technology. The first discharge of blister copper - which is the basic product of the flash furnace process - was achieved several hours after feeding the concentrate.

“It’s a very important day for us.  It’s a giant technological leap.  We have transitioned from the old shaft furnace technology to the cutting-edge and more environmentally friendly flash furnace technology. It’s not only a great advancement for the smelter, but also an enormous change for the region,”said Andrzej Szydło, Chief Director of the Głogów Copper Smelter/Refinery. 

The commissioning process for the new technology started on 28 September, with the firing of the electric furnace, and afterwards, on 1 October, the firing of the flash furnace was commenced. Now, the technological and technical staff of the Głogów Copper Smelter/Refinery are facing the challenge of optimizing the whole technological chain, the successive commissioning of the remaining facilities and production circuits, until the target production capacity of the installation is achieved.

Communication and CSR Department