Stone plate mining made new progress

As of December 14th, the Preliminary Design for the Deep Mining Project of the 4-8 Group in the Shangqing Mining Area of Tonghua Group's Banshi Mining Co., Ltd. — developed by Chinagall North — has successfully passed the expert review organized by Tonggang Mining Co., Ltd. This marks a significant milestone in the company’s efforts to expand its resource base and improve operational efficiency. Notably, the No. 17 and No. 18 ore groups have discovered additional resource reserves, with the design for underground mining of the No. 17 group now officially underway.

To address the growing gap in ore supply, Banshi Mining Company has initiated deep mining operations in the Shangqing area and started underground mining in selected ore groups within the Baumenyuan Mining Area. The deep mining project for the 4-8 coal mines in the Shangqing Mining Area employs a joint exploration and mining approach, avoiding the traditional sub-column sublevel caving method. The project is designed to handle a total of 2.85 million tons annually, with the 4–6 mines producing 2.35 million tons per year and the 7–8 mines contributing 500,000 tons per year. According to the latest Production and Exploration Report for the Panshigou Iron Mine in Baishan City, Jilin Province, the No. 17 ore group in the Baumenyuan area has added 198.77 million tons of new reserves, while the No. 18 ore group in the Guqianyuan area has seen an increase of 6.9976 million tons. Based on preliminary assessments, the production capacity of the No. 17 group could be doubled from 250,000 to 500,000 tons per year, and the service life of the No. 18 group could be extended to 800,000 tons per year.

Once these projects are completed, they will help maintain stable and continuous production at Banshi Mining, gradually boost production capacity, reduce capital investment, and promote more efficient resource sharing. These developments are expected to play a key role in enhancing the self-sufficiency of iron ore raw materials for Tonghua Group and strengthening the competitiveness of its products in the market. With ongoing advancements in mining technology and strategic planning, the company is well-positioned to meet future demands and ensure long-term sustainability.