Chifeng NFC Baiyinnuoer Mining Co., Ltd. (CNBC), a second-tier subsidiary of China Nonferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. (CNMC), was recently recognized as a national-level green mine in China by virtue of its outstanding achievements in environmental management, resource efficiency, ecological restoration, and smart mining.
The honor highlights CNBC's long-standing commitment to environmental protection and green development, and marks another step forward in its pursuit of green and sustainable mining.
Based in Chifeng city, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, CNBC is a majority-owned subsidiary of CNMC's subsidiary China Nonferrous Metal Industry's Foreign Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. (NFC).
Photo shows the premises of Chifeng NFC Baiyinnuoer Mining Co., Ltd. (CNBC), a second-tier subsidiary of China Nonferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. (CNMC), in Chifeng city, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Guided by the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," CNBC has adhered to a development approach centered on safety, green development, smart mining, efficiency, and sustainability in recent years.
Focusing on its core business of mineral resource development, the company has integrated environmental protection into the planning and implementation of its mining operations, creating synergies between environmental protection and resource development and blazing a high-quality mining development path that features mutually reinforcing growth of environmental and economic benefits.
Carrying out environmental rehabilitation alongside production
CNBC follows an integrated approach to mining, ecological restoration, and ongoing maintenance, carrying out environmental rehabilitation alongside production.
The company has cumulatively invested more than 110 million yuan ($16.37 million) in ecological restoration and environmental management, undertaking slope stabilization, land reclamation, mined-out area rehabilitation, and vegetation restoration in a coordinated manner.
To date, it has rehabilitated approximately 80 hectares of land, planted more than 56,000 trees, and established grass cover across 62 hectares, ensuring that all areas suitable for greening are covered with vegetation and all areas requiring treatment are properly rehabilitated.
These efforts have effectively addressed environmental issues such as dust and soil erosion, resulting in fundamental and sustained improvements to the overall ecological conditions of the mining area.
Photo shows the vegetation restoration project in the mining area of Chifeng NFC Baiyinnuoer Mining Co., Ltd. (CNBC), a second-tier subsidiary of China Nonferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. (CNMC), in Chifeng city, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Establishing resource recycling system
The company pays close attention to three key performance indicators, namely mining recovery, beneficiation recovery, and solid waste utilization, and has extensively adopted advanced underground backfill mining technologies to reduce resource losses at the source.
For several consecutive years, the mining recovery rate has remained above 95 percent, while the beneficiation recovery rate for zinc, its principal mineral, has stayed above 92 percent. The comprehensive utilization rate of valuable associated metals, including lead, silver and cadmium, has reached as high as 86 percent, exceeding relevant industry standards in China.
Meanwhile, CNBC has established a comprehensive resource recycling system covering its mining and processing operations and supporting facilities. Mine dewatering water and industrial and domestic wastewater are treated and fully reused for mineral processing, site greening, and dust suppression, forming a closed-loop water recycling system.
Mining waste rock and tailings are also sorted for separate handling. Some are used to backfill mined-out areas, helping mitigate the risk of ground subsidence, while others are processed into raw materials for new building materials.
Together with the closed-loop water recycling system, these measures maximize the utilization of water and solid waste, significantly improving the overall resource efficiency.
Photo shows two staff members working at the mine dewatering water treatment facility of Chifeng NFC Baiyinnuoer Mining Co., Ltd. (CNBC), a second-tier subsidiary of China Nonferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. (CNMC), in Chifeng city, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The facility is a key part of CNBC's water recycling system.
To date, it has rehabilitated approximately 80 hectares of land, planted more than 56,000 trees, and established grass cover across 62 hectares, ensuring that all areas suitable for greening are covered with vegetation and all areas requiring treatment are properly rehabilitated.
These efforts have effectively addressed environmental issues such as dust and soil erosion, resulting in fundamental and sustained improvements to the overall ecological conditions of the mining area.
Accelerating digital transformation for smarter mining
CNBC has accelerated the digitalization, intelligentization, and automation of its mining operations across the board.
It has built a 10-gigabit integrated network, a data center, and an integrated control center, while upgrading smart mining equipment, deploying AI-powered monitoring systems, and applying digital technologies across production management, safety supervision, and energy management, sparing no effort to become a model of smart mining in the nonferrous metals industry.
The company is also advancing the construction of its 1.65-million-tonne-per-year lead-zinc mining and processing expansion project. Once fully operational, the project is expected to significantly increase the company's capacity and core competitiveness.
Photo shows the integrated control center of Chifeng NFC Baiyinnuoer Mining Co., Ltd. (CNBC), a second-tier subsidiary of China Nonferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. (CNMC), in Chifeng city, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Sticking to low-carbon operations and strong environmental controls
CNBC continues to advance low-carbon and green development by reducing resource and energy consumption at the source, strengthening process controls, and enhancing end-of-pipe treatment.
Thanks to measures such as energy-efficient equipment upgrades, power grid optimization, and peak-valley electricity management, the company has kept its energy consumption indicators below the advanced level of 5.1 kilograms of coal equivalent per tonne of output specified under China's energy consumption limits for lead-zinc mining and processing for several consecutive years.
With comprehensive treatment facilities for wastewater, waste gases, and noise, CNBC makes sure all key pollutant emission indicators remain below applicable national standards.
Through comprehensive, multi-faceted, and sustained green development efforts, CNBC has delivered strong results in balancing mineral resource development with environmental protection.
