Crowning glory Chelopech

CrowninG Glory

Chelopech is a leading precious metals mining company and one of eastern Europe’s biggest success stories. Today the company is championing new industry standards in environmental care, sustainability and worker safety. Philip Yorke reports.

The Chelopech mine is located in central-western Bulgaria approximately 70 kilometres east of Sophia, the national capital, on the southern flank of the Balkan ranges. The company’s mining licence covers an area of more than 260 hectares which is owned by Dundee Precious Metals (DPM) and on which the mining facilities are constructed.

Mineral potential at the property was discovered in the mid-19th century, rediscovered in the 1950s and several decades later was acquired by DPM who transformed it into the modern mining facility that it is today. Following its purchase, DPM transitioned the mine’s extraction methods and implemented production process upgrades which resulted in significant improvements in productivity and a considerable drop in the consumption of electricity and water consumption.

Transforming fortunes

A programme of continuous investment has transformed the fortunes of the Chelopech mining company, whose mission was to increase the output of the mine by over two million metric tonnes of ore. This has subsequently been achieved and exceeded. Iliya Garkov is the company’s VP and is executive director for DPM

Chelopech and DPM Krumovgrad, “Since the acquisition, DPM has invested close to 90 per cent of its profits in order to transform the mine from an under-capitalised operation into a modern and viable one that meets all the international standards for worker safety, environmental protection and sustainable development,” said Garkov.

Some of the most important changes that DPM has made at Chelopech include the development and installation of an underground crusher and advanced conveyer system for hauling the precious gold, silver and copper ore. Other upgrades include an improved ventilation system via a new and ultra-efficient fan at its Sever mineshaft. Major process plant upgrades have also been completed including the commissioning of a SAG mill and four high-capacity flotation tanks to replace the 26 existing units. This is in addition to the installation of two modern concentrate and flotation-tailings thickeners.

According to Garkov, the installation and commissioning of the new facilities has resulted in the mine achieving optimal operational efficiency: “Undoubtedly, the improved management of all aspects of production and environmental protection has come as a result of the large-scale investment programme which has since introduced many new production process innovations.” Focus on innovation

As a direct result of the company’s continuous investment programme, mining process innovations have become a priority in an industry which until not long ago was relying on old technology and inefficient extraction practices.

Recognition of Chelopech’s contribution to environmental protection and increased production efficiency has attracted the attention of a number of top trade publications such as ‘Mining Magazine’ and the International Mining Technology Hall of Fame, which bestowed upon DPM and its CEO, Rick Howes, its ‘Outstanding Innovator Award’.

Recently DPM also earned Mining Magazine’s coveted ‘Technology Award’ for its strategy for mining out a 30-metre crown pillar safely in a most complex geotechnical environment. One of the many challenges of this project was that it was located between the historical cave zone and the underlying ore bodies where LHSF was employed. At the root of this problem was roof stabilisation for the planned production stopes in the pillar, which was lying beneath a 600 metre-high cave that was full of unconsolidated rock.

To date, six production stopes in the crown pillar have been successfully mined, with ore loss of just 5 per cent, which is standard

for the method under normal operating conditions. Therefore the term ‘Crowning Glory’ seems particularly appropriate when looking at this scenario for DPM.

New horizons.

Throughout the 15 years of operation by DPM of the Chelopech mine, there has been a steady improvement in technology, efficiency and workers’ health and safety, as well as in the areas of environmental protection and sustainability. This progress is a result of DPM prioritising these important key issues on a day-to-day basis. Today the Chelopech mine is the best in the region and a flagship model for DPM whose diverse operations have all been fully optimised.

The company told Industry Europe that, although modern mining faces many significant challenges, being able to successfully drive positive change and introduce new innovations is empowering. Seeing people grow in skills and knowledge, leadership and management is taking the company to new levels and to bigger industrial horizons.

Today the company is looking at a bright future and prides itself on its partnerships with its global mining contemporaries and associated IT companies, which continues to bear fruit. One example is its development of an integrated management system and the adoption of a modern approach to its mining operations.

“Chelopech can now be monitored in real time, similarly to any open pit. The integrated management system was first introduced in 2012 which was then a new approach and never tried before in underground mines such as ours,” said Garkov. “At the moment, the Chelopech mine continues with its improvement efforts and as a result the mining efficiency rate has increased by almost 30 per cent.” n

For further details of Belopech mining products and services visit: www.dundeeprecious.com