Čukaru Peki copper gold mine Photo: Courtesy of Zijin Mining

China's mining company Zijin Mining announced on Wednesday the start of trial production in the upper-zone of Serbian world-class Čukaru Peki copper gold mine, the test could be a precursor for Serbia becoming the second largest copper production country in Europe in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Zijin Mining purchased mining right of the upper-zone of the Čukaru Peki copper gold mine in March 2019 and purchased the mining rights for the entire mine in November of the same year.

The upper-zone of Serbian Čukaru Peki copper gold mine reserves 1.28 million tons of copper and 81 tons of gold in total, with grades of three percent and 1.91 grams per ton respectively. The mine will process 3.3 million tons of ore and produce 91,000 tons of copper and 2.5 tons of gold annually.

A representative from Zijin Mining told Global Times on Thursday that the construction of the mine facilities for trail production is estimated to be finished by this September. It only took less than three years from the purchase of the mine to the trial production, which was a "mission impossible," said Zijin Mining.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Zijin Mining's investment in Serbia was essential to the local economy. 

"With the help of Zijin Mining, Serbian annual copper output will be enlarged to 18 percent of European total copper output and the country will become the second largest copper producer within Europe," Vucic was cited by an article published on Zijin Mining's official website.