Tailings and waste management

The goal of KGHM's waste management program is to recycle waste generated throughout the production cycle in order to maximise the recovery of Cu and accompanying metals without impacting the natural environment.

The goal of KGHM is to continuously improve and develop its materials processing technologies. Thanks to these technologies, the company is able to recover numerous valuable products that are used in a variety of industries.

Such an approach enables maximised output of the primary and accompanying metals utilising the company's own technical and technological capacity.  

Examples of the effective processing of waste are the crude lead smelted in Döerschel furnaces, or the electrolyte decoppering installation at the Głogów copper smelter and refinery. Granulated slag from the electric furnace at the Głogów II copper smelter is used as an abrasive for the refurbishing of ships in Polish shipyards, while waste from the desulphurization of incinerated gases is reused in metallurgical processes as an addition to the charge materials.

KGHM maintains on-going monitoring of its underground and open pit copper mines.  What is more, the company continuously researches wider possibilities for using the materials extracted. The accumulated know-how of teams of experts supports the operations of other mining companies around the world. KGHM also functions as an important partner of the EU’s IPPC office in developing good practices for waste management.

The company has obtained certificates and has implemented integrated management systems which testify to the quality of its waste management policy and demonstrate its application of the highest environmental standards. 

In line with our commitment to sharing information of importance not only to our investors but all of our stakeholders, the following link provides data regarding the operation of tailings storage facilities operated by the KGHM Group.

Information on tailings storage facilities operated by the KGHM Group [XLS, 21 KB]

New Global Tailings Standard