Abstract
       Poland is one of the leading world silver manufactures, holding the ninth place in the world and the first place in Europe. In 2001 about 1200 tons of silver was manufactures in Poland, mainly as a by-product of copper metallurgy, zinc metallurgy and from secondary materials.
       The technologies for silver production as a by-product in copper concentrates treatment in KGHM “POLSKA MIEDŹ” SA and in zinc-lead concentrates treatment in HC “MIASTECZKO ŚLĄSKIE” SA are presented.
       The developed technologies for recovery of silver from secondary materials such as: used silver catalysts, electronic scrap, rejected transistors, silver plated glass scrap, spent solution from light sensitive materials treatment are discussed.
       The activity of “INNOVATOR” Ltd., a company of the Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals in Gliwice is described.  Innovation Plant INNOVATOR Co. Ltd is a spin-off company of the Institute. The plant specialises in recovery of silver and other precious metals from waste materials and in processing these metals into various highest quality products. INNOVATOR strives to reach a high position on the domestic market in the trade of precious metals and products manufactured from those metals. The plant produces high quality precious metals, such as: silver and gold powder and granulate, platinum, palladium and rhodium sponge. The recovered precious metals are sold directly as commercial products or are used at the Company as a material for further processing into such products as: jewellery alloys, jewellery, jewellery semi-products -tubes, rods, wires, strips; gold and platinum metals compounds used in electroplating and for manufacture of catalysts; products made by powder metallurgy methods; wires and strips from non ferrous metals electrolytically silver plated.