Translated by Tashi Namgyal
China’s Zijin Mining Group plans to make Julong Copper Mine located in Gyama township, Maldrogungkar county, Tibet, the largest copper mine in the whole world, said the company.
On 23 February 2024, Zijin Mining Group reported that the Chinese government has approved the company to work with Julong Copper mine to massively expand the copper mine project in Tibet and make it the largest single copper mine in the world.
In the report, it is also stated that the Julong Copper Mine produces 150000 metric tons a year, and if the company produces 200000 metric tons for the new project a year, the total sum can be 350000 tons a year. After completing the second phase of the project at the end of 2025, the company expected to produce 100 million metric tons a year and the Julong Copper mine will be the largest copper mine in China.
Zijin Mining Group had plans for the third phase of the project which expects to produce 200 million metric tons a year and make this site the largest copper mine in the world. The Chinese government has already approved that the Julong Copper Mine in Maldrogungkar County, Tibet can assess the site for 36 coming years.
In 1980, the Chinese government examined the area and began mining in Gyama township, Maldrogungkar county, Tibet where the Julong Copper Mine is located. Due to expansion of mining projects since 2007, the environment has been polluted and local Tibetans appealed to the concerned authorities to halt the mining project, but instead of receiving positive responses, people were beaten brutally. On 14 May 2023, the Julong Copper Mine reported the missing of six workers. Similarly, on 29 March 2013, the Mine met the casualties of 83 workers including 2 Tibetans during a landslide.
On 1 April 2013, Environment and Development Dest (EDD) of the Central Tibetan Administration based in Dharamshala, India also reported, “As opposed to being a model for “green mine”, Gyama Mine is a model of the issues relating to over 200 mining sites across Tibetan plateau which faces similar or even worse socio-economic and environmental problems.” EDD appealed to China to inform the real cause of the landslide at the mining site of a private company, Huatai Long Mining Development Co.Ltd and involve local Tibetans in decision-making in any social and environmental issues. In addition, EDD asked the Chinese government to halt the migration of non-Tibetans in Tibet.
