In the lovely month of October, Serbia Zijin Copper’s smelter is filled with the fragrance of flowers, as thousands of roses of various colors bloom vibrantly under the sunshine. The rose garden is the company’s latest green initiative following the construction of its tulip garden.
The site of the rose garden used to be a waste dump for slag from the smelter. To create a green, garden-like plant and fulfill its commitment to eco-friendly mining, Serbia Zijin Copper has taken such measures as land reclamation, pollution control, and ecological restoration over the years. As a part of these efforts, the waste dump was transformed from a piece of barren land into a lush garden with 18 varieties of roses.
“I never imagined that the smelter could be so beautiful. In the past, every corner of the facility seemed covered in a layer of gray and black dust. Now, the smelter is clean and tidy, and we can see this splendid rose garden every day, which gives us a good mood at work,” said Yelena, who has worked at the smelter for over 20 years.
Ivana, Deputy Manager of the company’s Environmental Protection and Ecology Department, smiled and said, “Employees often ask if they can take a rose home because they find the colors so appealing.”
Since Zijin Mining became its operator, Serbia Zijin Copper has adhered to the environmental philosophy that “green mountains are gold mountains.” The company places a high priority on environmental protection and has worked to turn this commitment into action. The eco-friendly smelter includes both aesthetic and substantive efforts. The aesthetic projects equip the smelter with rose and tulip gardens, while the substantive programs involve land reclamation in the surrounding areas, treatment of polluted water bodies, air pollution control, and resource recycling. This approach has achieved a harmonious balance between environmental protection and economic development, creating both economic and environmental benefits.
Translator:Jian Reviser: Li Yuanxing Editor-in-Chief: Wang Jie
About Zijin Mining
Zijin Mining is a leading global metals and mining company and one of the world’s largest producers of gold, copper, and zinc. The company has more than 30 large-scale mining operations and projects across 19 countries on 5 continents. Leveraging strong in-house research, engineering, and development capabilities, Zijin maintains high operational efficiency and low costs in both acquisitions and operations. This enables the company to be an industry leader in value creation, underpinned by its philosophy of pursuing development for all and sustained by superior environmental, social, and governance performance. Zijin’s shares trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX: 2899) and the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE: 601899).