The Serbian government has ordered China’s Zijin Mining Group to close its Jama copper mine and build a waste-water plant at the project by Apr 30, following environmental concerns.
Zorana Mihaijlovic, Serbia’s mining and energy minister, noted on Wednesday that the order was in response to local communities’ complaints about noise levels. Mihaijlovic added that the unit has also been asked to complete building a waste-water treatment facility to minimize water pollution in the Pek River. The order is the second one since late March when the mine had halted its ventilation shaft construction after similar complaints.
The Jama mine is one of four deposits and a smelter forming the larger Serbia-Zijin Doo Bor Copper (RTB Bor Copper) open-pit deposit where Zijin Mining Group holds a 63pc stake. This strategic partnership also announced a $408mn expansion plan in March 2021.
The Bor complex produced 5,188mt of copper concentrate from the other three mines in March 2021. The group has forecasted 120,000mt of mineral copper and 180,000mt of smelting copper production, with a reserved capacity of 200,000mt, after expansion.