With respect for work and tradition, KGHM is celebrating the Metallurgist’s Day

The main celebrations of this year’s Metallurgist’s Day began in front of KGHM’s head office in Lubin with a performance by the Głogów smelter orchestra together with a group of majorettes. After the traditional welcome from the company's Management Board and smelter directors, the celebrations moved to Głogów, where more than 70 employees of the Company were honoured at at the official gathering. The celebrations will end with the traditional events: an inn dinner and a ‘comber’ feast.

The celebration of Metallurgist’s Day is an opportunity to honour those who have created the metallurgical heritage of the Copper Belt over the years. Therefore, the event could not take place without honouring the smelter workers, who received government decorations: Gold Medals for Long Service and badges of “Merit for KGHM”.  Distinguished were also the jubilarians - those who have worked for the company the longest, who received Saint Florian’s statuette and a congratulatory letter.  A mass for metallurgists and their families as celebrated on Sunday 11 May at 12.30 p.m. in the Collegiate Church in Głogów. The Metallurgist's Day celebrations have been included on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2024.

Andrzej Szydło, President of the Management Board of KGHM, at the official gathering, thanked the smelter workers for their hard work and contribution to the development of the Company.

‘KGHM is primarily associated with a mining company, but it is only during conversations that many people discover with great admiration that it is a mining and smelting company. This is our huge advantage as KGHM, because we have a completely integrated process line. As a result, almost 100 million tonnes of concentrate were smelted in KGHM’s smelters over the past nearly 65 years. From these 100 million tonnes of concentrate, more than 20 million tonnes of pure copper have been produced to date. I would therefore like to express my sincere thanks to all the generations of metallurgists who have contributed to the present shape of KGHM. We have put a lot of effort into identifying the main developments that allow us to make the most of our smelting capacity. Today, we need to intensify production at KGHM and that is why we are working to ensure that our smelters have the right quality concentrate, because the priority is the future and the development of our copper smelters, which are evolving in the right direction. On the occasion of the Metallurgist’s Day, I would like to extend my sincere wishes from the Management Board, from the miners, from the processing staff. Long live our mining community!

The Secretary of State at the Ministry of State Assets, Robert Kropiwnicki, who was present at the KGHM’s celebrations of the Metallurgist’s Day, emphasised:

‘KGHM is the jewel in the crown of the Republic of Poland, among state-owned companies. The investments you are making in the smelters - improving the technological process at the Głogów, Legnica, and Cedynia smelters - are extremely important. I would like to thank the Management Board for a year of hard work. The company was in a difficult moment, but after this year, most of the risks have been very well managed. Today, KGHM is safe in many areas and can look to the future with optimism. Work on the copper tax, which we are discussing in many dimensions, is nearing completion. Thank you very much for your hard work, for what you do. Congratulations to all those who have received the decorations. This is the beautiful moment when the work of the most deserving persons is recognised.

Top quality in metallurgy

KGHM is the largest copper producer in Europe and is a member of the elite group of 10 largest copper producers in the world. According to the World Silver Survey 2025 ranking, the company is the 2nd largest silver producer globally. KGHM owns three smelters located in Lower Silesia. The Głogów Copper Smelter, Legnica Smelter and Cedynia Copper Smelter - Rolling Mill, thanks to the use of different technological processes, enable the diversification of metallurgical production, thus strengthening the competitiveness of KGHM among global leaders in the metallurgical industry.

Confirmation of efficient copper smelter production in accordance with the highest standards is provided by the prestigious Copper Mark awarded to all KGHM smelters. This international certification signifies that they meet environmental standards, produce responsibly and cooperate with all stakeholders, including local communities.

In addition to copper, silver and gold, KGHM smelters produce raw lead, refined lead, sulphuric acid, nickel sulphate and selenium More than 3,600 people work in KGHM's smelters.

The celebrations continue

On the occasion of Metallurgist’s Day, special attractions have been prepared by the Legnica Copper Smelter, which will organize in the City Park in Legnica a on Saturday, 17 May. Numerous attractions await all visitors, including an amusement park, animations, shows, mapping and a performance by the Metallurgists’ Orchestra from the Głogów Copper Smelter, with majorettes. The stars of the event will be Cleo and Jacek Stachursky. In addition, the Legnica Copper Smelter’s open days will be held on 24 May and 7 June from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.