Mineral resources are the basis for the survival and growth of mining companies. At Zijin Mining, we have laid a strong foundation for our sustainable development through independent exploration programs and counter-cyclical acquisitions of large and ultra-large projects.
As of June 2024, our total measured, indicated, and inferred mineral resources consisted of 104.67 million tonnes of copper, 3,528 tonnes of gold, 28,380 tonnes of silver, 12.12 million tonnes of zinc & lead, and 14.11 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE). Of which, our proved and probable reserves include 43.82 million tonnes of copper, 1,322 tonnes of gold, 2,653 tonnes of silver, 5.06 million tonnes of zinc & lead, and 5.05 million tonnes of LCE.
Notes: Resource, reserve, and production figures above are based on a 100% interest in our majority-owned companies, as well as our proportional share in joint ventures and joint operations.
We maintain a comparative advantage in independent exploration, with a unit cost far below the industry’s global average. We focus on exploring for minerals near existing mines, actively carry out greenfield and brownfield exploration, and invest in exploration ventures. More than 50% of our gold and copper resources and over 90% of our zinc (lead) were discovered through independent exploration efforts.