一、Century-Old Mine "Poised for Action"

The Luanshya New Mine Project (abbreviated as "Luanshya New Mine") is the "cornerstone project" for CNMC Luanshya's high-quality sustainable development and a key construction project for China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group to increase reserves and production. The project consists of two major projects encompassing three mines: the Muliashi South Shallow and Mashiba Joint Mining Project (referred to as the "Shallow Project") and the 28# Shaft Deep Sulfide Ore Mining Project (referred to as the "Deep Project"). The planned annual mining and processing capacity is 800,000 tons for the Shallow Project and 2.2 million tons for the Deep Project, with a mine service life of 18 years. This development will create significant economic and social value for Zambia.

Since the project initiated water drainage in May 2024, approximately 50 million cubic meters of water have been drained, with the water level dropping by more than 400 meters, completing 55% of the total drainage task. This has created favorable conditions for developing the shallow resources of the project. The Luanshya New Mine Project is characterized by tight schedules, heavy tasks, and high standards. To accelerate construction progress and achieve the goal of prioritizing the completion and commissioning of the Shallow Project by 2026, Luanshya Company has identified four key engineering initiatives: First, establishing a temporary ventilation system for the construction period in advance, with two fan stations now successfully operating and good underground ventilation conditions; Second, restoring the collapsed sections of the ramp near the surface, with interconnection between the surface and various levels expected to be achieved in March, enabling normal access for personnel and equipment; Third, converting the Muliashi South service shaft into a temporary hoisting shaft, creating a second emergency exit; Fourth, conducting supplementary engineering geological and hydrogeological surveys, as well as carrying out measurement, orientation, and tunnel clearing work. These key engineering initiatives will provide the basis for the design, review, and project approval of the Luanshya New Mine Project, creating conditions to accelerate construction of the Shallow Project.

Towering Water Drainage Headframe Reaching the Clouds

Cleared and Renovated Ramp Entrance

Steadfast Ventilation System Standing Tall

二、Muliashi South Service Shaft "Empowered and Activated" on Schedule

The Luanshya New Mine Project is an "unprecedented" undertaking with no successful experience to draw upon globally and difficult to simulate in laboratory conditions. It presents high technical challenges, involves massive and complex engineering, faces difficult construction conditions, and requires enormous water drainage volumes. From the beginning of the water drainage "task-oriented" project research, most experts and scholars expressed concerns about the condition of shaft tunnels that had been submerged for 20 years. On one hand, they worried about large-scale tunnel collapses due to stress redistribution after dewatering; on the other hand, they were concerned about the enormous volume of sludge removal work. These worries brought infinite uncertainties to the restoration and construction of the new mine project—uncertainties that lingered in the minds of every developer.

The restoration of the Muliashi South Service Shaft represents "the first shot fired in developing Luanshya New Mine's shallow resources." The Muliashi Service Shaft, completed and put into operation in 1968, connects four levels: 140, 160, 180, and 250. The shallow resource development project is China 15th Metallurgical Construction's first underground mine infrastructure project undertaken abroad. After construction began in December 2024, through optimizing the temporary hoisting system solution, organizing construction rationally, and overcoming various difficulties, the installation and commissioning of the headframe, winding system, and large and small service cages were completed on January 8, 2025. The project also received approval from the local mine safety bureau, allowing underground clearing operations to begin.

Sunrise-Illuminated Construction Headframe

The Muliashi South Service Shaft, submerged for over 20 years, suffered severe corrosion of its internal facilities, making cleanup and restoration extremely challenging. It served as the only connection to the surface prior to the ramp breakthrough. To ensure personnel safety during shaft access, Luanshya Company and the construction team deployed their most skilled workforce, working day and night throughout the Spring Festival period. Through meticulous organization and scientific planning, they completed scaling loose rock from tunnel walls and roofs, removing floating stones, clearing sludge, restoring lighting, repairing tracks, and clearing drainage ditches. By studying historical documentation, they developed a solution for connecting the 180 level drift with the main ramp. On February 16, they achieved the precise breakthrough with the ramp.

三、Inscribing "Chinese Precision" on the Coordinates of History

The Luanshya Copper Mine has a history spanning over 120 years since its discovery, with profound historical accumulation and cultural heritage. After China Nonferrous took over the mine in 2009, the developers inherited and built upon the excellent culture formed over the mine's century-long history, organically integrating it with Chinese culture and management approaches. They gradually refined and formed the "2E2S" community concept that balances the interests of the enterprise, employees, shareholders, and stakeholders. Over the past 15 years, the company's foundation for high-quality development has become increasingly solid. Due to historical and technical reasons, serious errors existed in the coordinate systems of both the surface and underground areas of the mining zone. How to unify these coordinate systems became a key issue determining whether the project could be successfully developed. In recent years, the company has continuously sought solutions. Faced with incomplete surveying data from the past century, developers needed to verify, calibrate, and remodel nearly 900 surface drill holes and almost 100 kilometers of underground tunnels—an arduous and complex task. To address this challenge, the company's technical team created the innovative "three-level progressive closed network" surveying method. They built a main triangulation network using total stations, established elevation networks with level instruments, and reduced systematic errors through more than 400 repeated observations. The entire process lasted over 680 days. Team members carried 30-kilogram equipment daily, trekking through brushwood, setting up observation stations in snake-infested dense forests, protecting survey books with their bodies during sudden downpours, and spending 10-hour shifts on windy shaft platforms. With their hands and feet, they traced a lifeline connecting 35 primary control points, ultimately delivering perfect results with horizontal accuracy of ±1cm and elevation accuracy of ±1cm! From now on, "Chinese precision" will be inscribed in the century-long history of the Luanshya Copper Mine.

Survey Control Point "Hidden" in the Wild

Newly Constructed Coordinate System

Excellence-Pursuing Chinese-Zambian Team

四、Engineering Construction Set to Stage a "Phoenix Rebirth"

As the water level drops and clearing work progresses, the shaft tunnels that have been submerged for 20 years are gradually unfolding like ancient scrolls being revealed after years of concealment. The exposed shaft walls appear clean as new, fresh air flows through the tunnels, gas detection readings are normal, pedestrian walkway roofs are stable, and transport tunnels remain intact...

Usable Tunnels "Revealing Their True Face"

Developers Survey Each Resource Area on Foot

The continuous stream of good news has not led the developers to lose their way. They clearly understand that this is only the first step of a long journey, and countless difficulties and obstacles undoubtedly await them in the future.

As Chairman Wang Jingjun of CNMC Luanshya pointed out in his work report: We must recognize the situation clearly, grasp trends, maintain confidence, keep our resolve, and continue to carry forward the CNMC Luanshya corporate spirit of "courage to innovate, daring to break through, and excellence in surpassing expectations." We will bravely forge ahead to double Luanshya Company's annual copper metal production, write a new brilliant chapter in the company's century-long history, and completely surpass historical production records!

Management Team Planning New Development Blueprint

Construction Team Ready for Action