Our competitive advantages

In the 21st century, KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. became a global mining and processing entity with presence on four continents. On the one hand, such a large scale of operation substantially curtails the risk of disturbance in the continuity and quality of production, while on the other hand, it facilitates the continual transfer of knowledge and experience between its various units. Its mobility policy enables it to post the most prominent experts in the Group wherever their expert knowledge is needed to derive business benefits. That also leads to the diversification and enlargement of its product portfolio.

During its 60 years of history, KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. has acquired experience, knowledge and skills that have enabled the Company to transform its business from a local miner into an international group acting as a major player in the global market for non-ferrous metals. The skills developed by our employees are and will be used in the future as one of the fundamental assets for winning a competitive edge in the industry and for building a strong position of Poland as an industrial centre. Also unique is the KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. Group’s fully integrated business chain: from the exploration of deposits, their accessing and mining, including the manufacturing of mining machinery and explosives, through processing, recycling, smelting, refining and sales, all the while keeping in mind during the execution of these processes the principles of sustainable development and corporate social responsibility.

Innovation is one of the competitive advantages of the KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. Group. Work on innovative solutions is conducted at various business levels, by drawing on cooperation with independent entities, science establishments and appreciating the creative potential and ingenuity of our own employees. They are the most familiar with our specific needs and are able to identify areas and solutions that translate into better performance and greater safety, improved ergonomics of employee work and protection of the environment. The KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. Group’s success hinges on the innovation, commitment and collaboration of many thousands of employees representing diverse knowledge and experience. The identification of in-house talent and the creation of individual development paths aligned to the organisation’s potential and needs are the key to the future development of the KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. Group.

In the KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. Group, production and production-related processes are performed in accordance with the following two models:

Production at KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. is a fully integrated process whereby the end product of one technological phase forms the input (intermediate product) for the subsequent phase. Mining in KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. is performed by three mining Divisions: Lubin Mine, Rudna Mine and Polkowice-Sieroszowice Mine. In the subsequent phase the Concentrators Division prepares concentrate for the smelters and refineries, while the Tailings Division is responsible for managing the tailings generated by the copper ore enrichment process. The organisational structure of KGHM includes metallurgical facilities: the Legnica Copper Smelter and Refinery and the Głogów Copper Smelter and Refinery, as well as the Cedynia copper wire rod plant.

A fact worth noting is that recently, as part of its business, KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. has been rapidly developing and implementing certain elements of the circular economy concept. To this end, it has been making progress in the areas of recycling and further improving the utilisation of post-production waste as the so-called secondary sources of raw materials.

The core line of business of the members of the KGHM INTERNATIONAL LTD. Group is the mining of metals, including copper, molybdenum, nickel, gold, platinum and palladium, carried out in both open-pit and underground mines, and the execution of mining and exploratory projects.