Zijin: Underground Mining in Bor to Continue for Another 40 Years Thanks to Block-Caving Method

Thanks to the block-caving method, a method of natural collapsing, the life cycle of the mines Jama and Cukaru Peki will be extended until 2060, it was said at the presentation of this method organized in Belgrade by the two Chinese companies which operate in Bor, Serbia Zijin Copper and Serbia Zijin Mining, in cooperation with the Chamber of Mining and Geology Engineers of Serbia, founded on the Miners’ Day this year.

– The block-caving method has been used in the world for 120 years now. It is most frequently implemented in Chile, where it is also one of the main ways of exploiting the copper ore, and it is also present in China, Australia, America and Indonesia. This is a very effective manner of underground exploitation, which is also the cheapest one. When other methods don’t produce satisfactory results or are too expensive, such as the method of filling the excavated space, which is normally used, we resort to this manner of exploitation, because it is much cheaper and more efficient. We previously used the usual method, but we did very badly, so we started studying block-caving and we are delighted with the effects – said the vice president of Zijin Mining Group and the main mining engineer, Guo Xianjian.

He added that block-caving couldn’t be used in all underground sites and that the mine type first needed to be determined, which the experts from the Chinese institute had done.

– Following detailed research, we came to the conclusion that, for the Cukaru Peki mine, this manner of exploitation is the best. To be honest, we had planned to adopt this method even before we started building the mine, because we had invested over a billion dollars in the construction alone. So, this is a big investment, and it is important to us for this mine, as a Serbian mine, to have a good reputation. Through block-caving, we will extend the life cycle of that mine and get new resources there – pointed out Guo Xianjian.

Serbia Zijin Copper doo Bor

Serbia Zijin Mining d.o.o. Bor

IRM Bor

Zijin Group

Serbia Zijin Copper

Serbia Zijin Mining

Chamber of Mining and Geology Engineers

Guo Xianjian

Čukaru Peki

Jama mine

exploitation of copper and gold

block caving

method of natural collapsing

gold and copper reserves in Bor and Majdanpek