The European Commission has granted strategic-project status to two KGHM Polska Miedź investments valued at more than 9. 5 billion zlotys: development of the Retków-Grodziszcze copper deposit and conversion of the Legnica smelter into an integrated recycling plant. The designation recognizes projects considered important to the European Union’s supply of strategic raw materials and internal market.
Retków-Grodziszcze includes construction of the Retków shaft and related infrastructure. KGHM says construction of three shafts began in 2025, and the project is expected to enable extraction through 2055 of more than 100 million tonnes of polymetallic ore containing nearly 1. 5 million tonnes of copper and more than 5,000 tonnes of silver.
The Legnica project would process scrap containing 15% to 60% copper and associated metals including nickel. Its projected annual output is about 135,000 tonnes of electrolytic copper and 250 tonnes of nickel.
Strategic status may provide more predictable administrative procedures, better coordination of permits and access to applications for preferential external funding. It does not itself guarantee financing. The Commission’s decision followed a call that received 101 applications by the January 2026 deadline, of which 98 were deemed complete; the approved list contains 46 projects. KGHM said it would continue work on both investments under their existing schedules and cooperate with Polish and EU institutions.