Cyprus, the “land of copper” (copper: cuprum – copper – cuivre – cobre – Kupfer), has been known for thousands of years for the production of this precious metal.
Ancient Mines and Historical Production
In antiquity, many mines operated on the island, among them those of Skouriotissa and Apliki — areas where Hellenic Cuprum Ltd is active today.
It is estimated that more than 200,000 tons of pure copper were produced then, from mines scattered around Troodos, within the lavas of the ophiolite.
The ancients could only exploit ores with a high copper content. With today’s technology, however, it is now possible to utilize deposits with much lower content — as is the case at the Skouriotissa and Apliki mines.
The ever-increasing needs of humanity for copper make it necessary to exploit even poorer deposits both today and in the future.
Skouriotissa
Processing of Old Deposits
The company’s activity began with the utilization of old deposits of ore residues of low, but now exploitable, content.
It is expected that 15,000–20,000 tons of pure copper will be produced from this source.
“Phoenix” Deposit
At the “Phoenix” deposit, new extractions will take place after the removal of the overlying waste.
Processing of the ore is expected to yield about 20,000 additional tons of pure copper.
Upon completion of the works, the Phoenix open-pit mine will become the largest open copper mine in the western Mediterranean.
Apliki
At Apliki, two sources of ore will be utilized:
- From new deposits and new mining activities
These include:
- West Apliki (large deposit)
- West Apliki (small deposit)
- The extension of the open-pit mine in the eastern part of the concession
- Old low-grade deposits
This is material that in the past was not exploitable.
Both categories are expected to yield a total of 25,000 tons of pure copper.
Reserve Calculation & Technology
The calculation of reserves is carried out using a combination of modern geological tools, which include:
- Remote sensing
- Geophysical and geochemical methods
- Geological mapping
- Drilling and chemical analyses
At the same time, modern IT tools are used, such as geostatistics and the SURPAC program, for accurate reserve calculation and mine design.
The company also draws on its long-standing experience in mining Cypriot-type rocks and ores.
Mining Operations and Safety
Operations are carried out mainly with heavy earthmoving equipment, which significantly reduces the use of explosives.
Where explosives are required, modern technologies are used that minimize:
- Noise
- Vibrations
- Disturbance to the environment and surrounding communities