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Zijin Mining Group: Mining for a Better Society
Zijin Mining is a large multinational mining group. It is engaged in the exploration and development of copper, gold, zinc and battery metals worldwide, as well as the research of engineering technology.
The group has mining projects in 15 provincial-level regions in China and 13 other countries. It operates major projects in China, such as the Julong Copper Mine in Tibet, the Duobaoshan Copper Mine in Heilongjiang, the Zijinshan Gold and Copper Mine in Fujian, the Ashele Copper Mine in Xinjiang, Shanxi Zijin, Guizhou Zijin, and Longnan Zijin. Its main overseas mines include the Čukaru Peki Copper and Gold Mine and the Bor Copper Mine in Serbia, the Kamoa Copper Mine and the Kolwezi Copper Mine in the DRC, and the Buriticá Gold Mine in Colombia.
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Zijin controls 62.77 million tonnes of copper resources, of which 20.33 million tonnes are reserves; 2,373 tonnes of gold resources, of which 792 tonnes are reserves; and 9.618 million tonnes of zinc resources, of which 4.554 million tonnes are reserves.
Zijin Mining ranks No.324 in the 2022 Forbes Global 2000 List, No.1 among global gold companies, No.8 among metal miners; and No.486 in the 2021 Fortune 500 List. Zijin’s core competitiveness lies in innovation, especially technological innovation. It has a wealth of experience in geological exploration; hydrometallurgy; the processing of low-grade, refractory ores; and large-scale engineering projects. It is also accelerating its development in the field of renewable energy and advanced materials. It has added 7.63 million tonnes of lithium carbonate resources through the acquisition of the high-grade Tres Quebradas lithium project in Argentina. Its overseas copper and gold operations account for more than half of the group’s total reserves, production, and earnings.
It has developed the “Five-pronged” Mining Engineering Model and founded the State Key Laboratory of Comprehensive Utilisation of Low-Grade Refractory Gold Ores.
Its in-house technologies and engineering capabilities cover the full spectrum of exploration, mining, processing, smelting and environmental protection. Powered by its technological strength, Zijin Mining has been successful in the development of many mining projects across the world, and has fostered its own competitiveness in the global mining industry. Zijin is building its ESG system on the basis of international standards, and it is committed to developing green, ecofriendly mines to high standards. Zijin’s vision is “Mining for a Better Society”. It stands by the values of “Harmony Brings about Wealth” and “Balanced Development of the Company, its Employees and the Wider Society”.
As an important player in the global mining industry, Zijin strives to become a “green, high-tech, leading global mining company”. It contributes to economic growth in China and the rest of the world by supplying high-quality minerals.
In Africa, the group has mining projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Eritrea and South Africa. The Kolwezi Copper Mine in the DRC was the first copper mine constructed by Zijin and put into operation abroad. Kolwezi has produced over 70,000 tonnes of copper, providing more than 1,000 jobs for local people.
Another DRC mine, the Kamoa-Kakula Mining Complex or known as “Kamoa Copper”, is a joint venture between Zijin Mining, Ivanhoe Mines, Crystal River Global Limited, and the DRC Government, and is the world’s fastest growing major copper mine. The mine strives to produce the world’s “greenest copper”. Following “carbon peak and carbon neutrality” initiatives, Kamoa Copper has implemented the Sustainable Livelihoods Program and set a net-zero GHG emission target for operation. Kamoa Copper is powered by clean and renewable energy with its main power source coming from the Mwadingusha hydropower plant and the Inga II hydropower facility. The project’s GHG emission per tonne of copper produced will continue to drop when Inga II hydroelectric refurbishment is accomplished. A 2020 independent audit of Kamoa-Kakula’s GHG intensity metrics performed by Hatch Ltd. of Mississauga, Canada, confirmed that the project will be foremost among the world’s lowest GHG emitters per unit of copper produced.
The Bisha Zinc-copper Mine is the largest producing zinc mine in the State of Eritrea in Africa. The mining and stripping capacity of the project is 32 million tonnes per year, and its designed processing capacity is 2.4 million tonnes per year.
In South Africa, Zijin’s wholly owned subsidiary Nkwe Platinum Limited holds a 74% undivided share in the Mining Right in respect of the Zijin Garatau Platinum Mine.
The Zijin Garatau Platinum Mine is located on the Eastern Limb of the Bushveld Complex, about 25 km northwest of Steelpoort and 30 km west-northwest of Burgersfort in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The Mine is currently in the construction phase but is anticipated to average 3.6 million tonnes of ore per annum once full capacity is achieved in a few years’ time.
To date, Nkwe Platinum Limited has spent over R45 million on its Social and Labour Plan. The investment included the upgrading of the Garatau Community Access Road, as well as adult training and education, bursaries, learnerships, internships, traditional leadership training and excavator operations, which have benefited the surrounding mine communities of the Zijin Garatau Platinum Mine.
In June 2020, Nkwe Platinum Limited launched its first solar powered water supply system for the Ga Mpuru Village in the Garatau community, situated next to the Zijin Garatau Platinum Mine.
The pumps installed on the water borehole and storage tanks are powered by a complete solar system. In addition to providing round the clock water for the members of the community, the solar system also powers a security electric fence for the water supply infrastructure, making it a self-sustaining unit. The community now has access to over 55,000 litres (continuous flow) of clean water from a pipeline, which spans over 2 kilometres within the community. Taps and water troughs are stationed at various strategic points along the pipeline to cater for both the community and livestock.
This solar-powered water system forms part of Nkwe Platinum’s second generation Social and Labour Plan, which enables Local Economic Development (‘LED’) projects in the form of clean water supply to the local mine communities over the next few years.
Nkwe Platinum Limited believes the development of enterprises is closely related to the sustainable development of its surrounding communities. Through, education, medical treatment, industrial support, infrastructure construction and disaster relief, it is committed to developing and working together in a mutually beneficial and harmonious way for the benefit of all.
Why is slope stability evaluation important?
Slope stability is an important consideration in the management of various types of mining operations or geotechnical engineering projects. By definition, slope stability is a measure of how resistant a man-made or natural slope is to failure, due to collapse or sliding. Slope pit designs aim to provide a safe and stable slope for open pits mines, while still optimising excavation capabilities.
Increasing the pit wall steepness enables maximised ore recovery and minimised waste stripping. This implies that the quantity of excavated material is reduced, thereby considerably decreasing mine running costs and improving financial returns. This increased wall steepness does, however, increase in the depth of the pit, causing a decrease in the factor of safety in the pit slope design.
The primary purpose of a slope monitoring program is to assess the stability of the pit walls during operations and to detect any signs of instability, after which management or remedial procedures may be carried out. A slope monitoring program should detect instabilities timeously in order to prepare mining operations for potential threats, by providing an early warning. The consequences of an uncontrolled instability or slope failure can result in: disruption of operations, loss of equipment, injury and worst of all loss of life, all of which ultimately could result in drop in market share. A comprehensive slope stability monitoring program is thus vital to support the safe recovery of ore.
What is real-time monitoring?
Real-time monitoring is the viewing of continuously updated or streamed information. This occurs through the implementation of applications and tools that constantly track and record the overall pit performance, and provide continuous updates. It essentially means that one is able to have eyes on the slope at any given time. This permits the user to determine the current state of the slope and enables the team to identify, detect, diagnose, report and respond rapidly, when an incident occurs.
Reutech’s real-time slope stability monitoring products.
Reutech Mining is a proudly South African company dedicated to developing, manufacturing and distributing innovative technologies for the management of safety within the mining industry. After being approached by industry leaders in the mining sector, requesting advanced geotechnical monitoring solutions, Reutech has been at the forefront of technological innovation for mining safety for more than 15 years. The demand for real-time geotechnical monitoring has led to the rapid advancement of monitoring technology.
The application of ground-based radar technology has been used in mines, across the world, since the early 2000’s. Reutech Mining is focused on providing and improving real-time mine safety for surface and underground applications, as well as, contributing towards a noteworthy increase in production for a large number of mines in Africa and around the world.
MSR Modular
The Movement and Surveying Radar (MSR) is the world’s most advanced slope monitoring radar, used for assessing the
stability of mine pit walls, tailings dams and natural hazards. With the unique ability to extract multiple data points from a single antenna beam footprint. The MSR Modular delivers a high resolution three-dimensional (3D) point cloud and provides data in range, azimuth and elevation, without relying on any other external mechanisms. This implies that the most accurate slope stability insights is provided at all times. MSR Modular is capable of covering broad areas quickly, making it the ultimate tool for simultaneously performing strategic and critical monitoring on any scale.
The combination of radar data together with movement vectors from prisms and extensometers can be displayed on the same interface, allowing for the integration of data from various instruments. This integrated interface allows for a more holistic approach may be applied, in identifying areas of movement on the slope, and subsequently making more informed decisions. . The MSR Modular allows for various mounting options such as fully autonomous trailer or vehicle mounting or fixed installations.
MSRIV Esprit
MSRIV Esprit®, is the fourth generation of the MSR range, developed specifically for repeatability of measurement, increased scan speed, advanced atmospheric reduction and minimised mechanical wear. MSRIV Esprit® is a staring radar which scans a fixed area using the concept of Multiple Input and Multiple Output (MIMO) radar technology. The advantage of using a MIMO architecture instead of scanning single points or sweeping over the slope, is that the system scans the entire area instantaneously and constantly. This system produces superior real-time movement data with an exceptionally accurate 3D point cloud, and a full 2D area scan update in less than two seconds. With a scan speed of less than two seconds, fast moving slopes are effortlessly detected and the phenomena of phase wrapping (ambiguity) is reduced drastically.
The rapid scan time and reduction in phase ambiguity reduces the effects of rapidly changing atmospherics, almost completely, and accumulates only true movement. This radar is the fastest scanning radar on the market making it the ideal solution for mines with rapidly changing atmospherics and fast moving slopes. Smaller movement measurements are detected much faster and with greater accuracy, resulting in the early identification of potential slope failures. The Esprit system is fully autonomous and include solar panels to reduce the carbon footprint of the system.
How does the MSR Modular and MSRIV Esprit® aid slope stability monitoring in real-time?
• The data from both the MSR Modular and MSRIV Esprit® is captured automatically, reliably and updated in real-time, which boosts the confidence of mining personnel in solving slope stability concerns. • The MSR systems aid in enabling risk management procedures and life-ofmine plans, which limit personnel exposure to geotechnical hazards. This subsequently increases productivity and allows for pit slope optimisation through design calibration. • Teams are encouraged to include radar alarms for detected slope movement in their hazard planning and Trigger
Action Response Plans (TARP). • Warning and evacuation orders can be issued once the stability of the slope approaches a dangerous threshold level, in keeping with the protocol and the monitoring program implemented by the team on site. • By identifying areas of continuous movement from the radar data, teams can get more proactive with their response methods and operational plans. • Different scan region areas can be selected allowing the client to focus on areas of high importance, without wasting scan time on areas of no interest. • The system is configured to perform the above tasks 24/7, in adverse weather conditions, therefore providing the client continuous safety critical monitoring throughout the day and night. • Both systems have the ability to send immediate automatic alerts and notifications to geotechnical teams via email and telecommunications, should an alarm be triggered. • The MSR Modular and MSRIV Esprit® systems can also be viewed remotely through MSR Connect (Reutech’s state
of the art web based software - allowing multiple users and viewers access to the MSR data via any platform from anywhere in the world, on condition that they have access to the mine’s network). • The MSR Modular and MSRIV Esprit® systems can also be connected to the
Reutech Slope Vision camera system to provide video or still photographs of the problematic areas.
Reutech’s radar products provide the key instrumentation required for informed and effective slope monitoring programmes. The primary goal is to significantly increase safety and productivity at mining operations, therefore Reutech’s highly complex radar technology has been developed to simply do what you need it to do, all of the time. The result is real time slope stability monitoring radars that have got what it takes to get you there. That’s the power of safety and productivity through accuracy and reliability.
