Cooper Exploration and Mining

Copper Deposit in Volyn Region

EXPLORATION AND MINING

Metallic mineral resources in the Volyn region are represented by a deposit of complex copper ores. Municipal Enterprise Volynpryrodresurs holds a special permit for the industrial development of the copper ore occurrence at the Zhyrychi site, located within the Ratne territorial community of Kovel district, with a total area of 31.4 km². The special permit No. 6189 for the industrial extraction of complex copper ores was issued on 13 March 2017 and is valid for 20 years.

Currently, the Zhyrychi deposit, located 5 km from the Ukrainian–Belarusian border, has been fortified with defensive structures and is fully mined for security reasons, making it impossible to conduct any preparatory or extraction activities at the site. The demining of border areas was introduced as part of security measures following military aggression and the declaration of martial law, in accordance with the decisions of the National Security and Defence Council and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. However, it will not begin until at least two years after martial law is lifted. As a result, the development of the Zhyrychi deposit is delayed and postponed to the future. Territories with theoretical potential for the extraction of ores that are strategically important for the country cannot currently be used for peaceful purposes. Moreover, the development of the deposit would require substantial investment and the involvement of partners, which is not feasible under the current conditions of martial law.

1. Preparatory Work and Geological Exploration

Prior to mine development, comprehensive geological studies are carried out. These include drilling boreholes up to 500 metres deep, analysing core samples, and conducting geophysical surveys to identify areas with the highest concentration of copper ores.

2. Site Preparation for Extraction

This stage involves constructing the mine and installing the necessary equipment. The ore body is developed using a system that ensures the preservation of the surface landscape, as operations take place at depths of 250–450 metres.

3. Copper Extraction

Once preparatory works are completed, the development of the Zhyrychi deposit begins. Access to the ore body is achieved using underground mining methods.

4. Ore Processing

The extracted ore is transported to the surface using elevators or conveyor systems. The copper concentrate is then delivered for further processing to extract copper from the ore.