Longyan, Fujian — In a special feature aired by China Central Television, the Zijinshan Gold-Copper Mine, a flagship project of Zijin Mining, took center stage as a model of environmental stewardship. The segment highlighted the mine’s remarkable transformation from an industrial site into a thriving national mining park, drawing waves of visitors this summer.

Through 3D digital models, the report highlighted the rebirth of a waste dump at Zijinshan: across 15.87 km² of once-barren land, 4.27 million plants now flourish. This vegetation sequesters enough carbon annually to offset emissions from 300,000 vehicles—a testament to Zijin’s commitment to sustainable development.

The feature also showcased the striking contrast before and after ecological restoration at Zijin’s De’erni Copper Mine in Qinghai. Situated on a plateau with a fragile ecosystem, the operation has been recognized as one of China’s first national case studies in the ecological restoration of mine sites.

Reclaim During Mine Development

For Zijin employees, who work with nature on a daily basis, every mountain, stream, and plant commands deep respect. This ethos is reflected in Zijin’s Five-Pronged Mining Engineering Model, an integrated approach to exploration, mining, processing, metallurgy, and environmental protection. This model defies traditional perceptions of mining by embedding sustainability at every phase of mining projects.

Unlike the conventional method of “rehabilitation after mine closure”, Zijin has championed the principle of “Restore While Developing” since its inception, conducting environmental management throughout the lifecycle of mine sites. At the Zijinshan Gold-Copper Mine, decades of restoration experience crystallized into a mature formula: Layered Water Management, Slope Shortening, Soil Remediation, and Targeted Vegetation. Today, this formula is being adopted across Zijin’s global operations.

Highest Standards

As Zijin expands its business across the world, it follows the highest international environmental standards—whether in ecological restoration, wastewater recycling, emissions management, or biodiversity conservation. From transforming waste dumps into mining parks to treating industrial wastewater for reuse and developing circular economy solutions for tailings, Zijin redefines how industry interacts with nature. The company demonstrates that industrial development and ecological health can advance in harmony.

Translator: Li Yuanxing   Reviser: Jian  Editor-in-Chief: Fa Yuan