Research and development 

KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. places great emphasis on the issues of development and the implementation of new techniques and technology. Research and development work, which is closely linked with the strategy of the Company, is aimed at intensifying production, reducing costs, diversifying the product line and minimising environmental impact by applying the best available technology. The pursuit of R&D work is possible thanks to the strong support of research institutions. On a daily basis the Company cooperates with many such institutions, including: KGHM „Cuprum” sp. z o.o. CBR in Wrocław, the Non-Ferrous Metals Institute in Gliwice, the University of Mining and Metallurgy in Kraków, the Chief Institute of Mining in Katowice, Wrocław Politechnical University, the Politechnical University of Silesia, the National Institute of Geology in Warsaw, the University of Medicine in Wrocław, the University of Agriculture in Wrocław, the Polish Academy of Science in Kraków, the University of Economics in Wrocław, and many others. For a number of years KGHM has been in contact with foreign institutions from Finland (Outokumpu) and Canada (Dynatec). Among the most important R&D projects are:

In mining:

- Investigating alternative means of managing the ore in the Głogów Głęboki Przemysłowy deposit in relation to those developed in the base model, 

- Work related to optimising mining drifts with respect to exploitation of metals appearing together with copper in the copper ore deposit,

-Feasability studies on the possibility of using alternative methods of transporting concentrate from the Ore Enrichment Plants to the Głogów smelter, 

-Searching for new methods and processing technology enabling an increase in the recovery of copper and precious metals during the enrichment process, 

In smelting:

- Intensifying the production of copper cathodes, 

- Investigating new technology for the management of lead-bearing waste, 

- Determing the possibility of using artificial intelligence techniques to control metallurgical agregates during one of the selected phases of the flash smelting process, 

Laboratory at the Cedynia wire rolling mill

 

R&D work is financed by the Company’s own funds. In certain cases public funds are used to assist in this work.

Table. Expenditures on R&D, 2003 – 2006 (‘000 PLN).

	2004	2005	2006	2007
Mining	75 823	6 698	3 670	4 414
Metallurgy	3 346	3 516	2 385	1 662
Total	9 169	10 214	6 055	6 076




 Cedynia wire rolling mill

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