In northeastern Serbia, the city of Bor rose round a few of Europe’s most important copper and gold deposits. From the Nineteen Forties, the area shortly drew staff from throughout Yugoslavia. Majdanpek, situated simply 70 kilometers away, expanded round one other huge reserve, estimated at greater than 600 million tons of ore. For many years, these mining facilities sustained Yugoslav heavy business, however as we speak that legacy is more and more fragile.
Since 2018, the mining advanced has been taken over by Chinese language state-owned group Zijin Mining, which has invested €2.3 billion to extend manufacturing. The growth goes far past business — it’s reworking the land and the lives of its inhabitants. Complete households are watching their houses, properties, and recollections disappear as settlements are engulfed by the mine. The Serbian authorities has failed to supply significant alternate options for resettlement.
The environmental toll is profound: forests and rivers are being destroyed, wildlife is beneath menace, and residents endure among the most polluted air in Europe. In the meantime, a rising Chinese language workforce — now numbering within the 1000’s — stays largely segregated in closed camps, seldom mixing with locals, abandoning an unlimited but intangible presence.
Bor and Majdanpek illustrate a broader sample. In 2022, Chinese language funding in Serbia equaled the mixed enter of all 27 EU nations for the primary time, elevating questions on sovereignty and neocolonial affect. The controversy grew sharper after the collapse of a Chinese language-renovated railway station in Novi Unhappy that killed 16 folks in 2024, sparking waves of protest.
As Zijin Mining continues to develop its footprint, the area and its individuals are left suspended in a battle between financial revenue and the gradual erosion of collective reminiscence — the disappearing houses, traditions and historical past of threatened communities.
Feeling the change: As soon as a small village, the Serbian city of Bor skilled dramatic progress final century following the invention of huge gold and copper deposits. Above, Željko, who has labored on the mine for greater than a decade, says that security laws have worsened and accidents have elevated since China’s state-owned Zijin Mining purchased the advanced. Željko misplaced 40 % of mobility in his proper arm following a office accident in 2023. Additionally within the photographs above, the Zivkovic household inside their house in Slatina, close to Bor. The household’s predominant supply of earnings is agriculture. In recent times, their land has been expropriated because of the growth of Zijin Mining’s operations. The son now works as a driver for the mine, like many others within the space who can’t discover different employment.
CHAPTER 1
New viewers: A Chinese language cook dinner in a Chinese language restaurant in Bor. The textual content on her apron may very well be translated as “I make cash by the shovelful.” Subsequent, massive screens outdoors the Zijin Mining headquarters in Bor show movies selling the corporate’s actions within the area. The corporate has introduced in 1000’s of staff from China, housing them in camps throughout the mining space and stopping them from integrating with the native inhabitants. “That is colonization,” says Ixeca, whose household has lived off farming for generations. Now, the growth of mining exercise threatens their livelihood. A few of their lands have already been expropriated and they’re suing Zijin Mining. Neighbors? The Chinese language and Serbian flags inside a Chinese language restaurant in Bor. The contract between Serbia and Zijin Mining stays categorised, elevating issues over its legality. The Chinese language presence within the space is overwhelming however usually invisible. Solely Zijin Mining managers and senior employees are allowed to go away the corporate’s camps, in contrast to common staff from China.
Leaving a mark: High, one of many buildings used as places of work by Zijin Mining in Bor. Serbia stands out as a focus of the Chinese language footprint not solely within the Western Balkans but in addition throughout Central and Jap Europe. Beijing has emerged as the biggest particular person investor in Serbia. Well being dangers: Above, an X-ray of the lungs of a lady from Krivelj, a village close to Bor, who died of lung most cancers at a younger age. Her household blames air pollution from mining actions. The results of intensive extraction and smelting are felt throughout the area. Air high quality is a significant concern: A report from January 2024 revealed frequent spikes in sulfur dioxide ranges round Bor, contributing to each acute and persistent respiratory points, in addition to acid rain. The examine additionally discovered wonderful particulate matter containing heavy metals reminiscent of lead, cadmium, nickel and arsenic. No systematic evaluation of public well being has been carried out since Zijin took over operations. Exhausting at work: Subsequent, a view of the copper and gold mine in Majdanpek. Bor and Majdanpek maintain one of many largest copper reserves on the planet and one of many largest gold deposits in Europe. In 2023, Serbia exported roughly 1.06 million tons of copper ores and concentrates, price $1.46 billion. The principle purchaser was China.
CHAPTER 2
Perspective: “It’s grow to be like we’re sleeping on gold however dying of most cancers,” says 73-year-old Joleht, seen inside her house in Slatina, proper. Neighbors say that their houses are slowly collapsing because of the underground copper and gold mining operations. They face cracks and water infiltrations all through the partitions. Anger: Folks protest towards the central authorities and widespread corruption march by way of the streets of Majdanpek in February 2025. Lifeless river: Backside, the Borska Reka River, notoriously referred to as one of the crucial polluted waterways in Europe. It’s the predominant tributary of the Veliki Timok River. Sediment evaluation has proven excessive concentrations of copper, arsenic, and nickel, exceeding remediation thresholds, significantly close to mining areas. Consequently, the Borska Reka is taken into account a “useless river,” devoid of aquatic life, with extreme environmental impacts that reach to the Danube through the Timok. The Batut Institute of Public Well being revealed a examine displaying an elevated mortality danger for each women and men in Bor throughout all age teams. Native NGO Ne damo Jadar was based to demand that the Majdanpek mine adjust to environmental laws and to advocate for options for residents whose houses are threatened by the mine’s growth. Through the years, a number of incidents of violence have occurred between the NGO’s members and the non-public guards patrolling the mine.
Hunter: Miodrag, a farmer from the village of Slatina, hunts close to the land now occupied by Zijin Mining. His household relied closely on agriculture, however their property has now been lowered to just some hectares. Miodrag is presently suing the Chinese language firm, claiming the land was unfairly expropriated. “Sooner or later, we’ll have a mine beneath our home.” He additionally says that searching has grow to be inconceivable resulting from fixed noise and explosions: “I can really feel my home shake.” Household enterprise: Father, son, and grandfather from the Jovic household within the yard of their house in Slatina. A few of their farming lands have been expropriated. “It’s over, there’s nothing else to be completed,” says Ivica Jovic. “At this level, I settle for they’ll take my land, however at the very least give me one other place and let me proceed farming.” Jovic has obtained cease-and-desist letters from Zijin Mining, after allegedly verbally confronting Chinese language staff working on what was as soon as his land. Growth: One of many many amenities owned by Zijin Mining, close to the village of Slatina, simply outdoors of Bor. The town, born due to the mine, and the close by villages are actually prone to disappearing resulting from its growth.
CHAPTER 3
Staying put: Jasna Bacilovic, along with her daughter Katarina Tomić, inside their house within the village of Krivelj. The village is slowly disappearing because of the growth of the mine, however each Jasna and her total household are dedicated to preserving their house, which has belonged to them for the reason that 1800s, and to defending the village. “I don’t need to dwell wherever else. That is house. I bear in mind once I was a baby, I used to play with my buddies on a hill not removed from right here, however now that hill doesn’t exist anymore. My kids might by no means even see this village as a result of it’d disappear ceaselessly,” says Tomić. Krivelj used to have as much as 22 kafane —family-run taverns and eating places. Immediately, just one stays and the village is slowly disappearing. “The village sounds are disappearing. I now not hear shutters opening, the radio coming from my uncle’s home, or my neighbors speaking. I open the window and listen to nothing,” says Bacilovic. The departed: The bus cease in Majdanpek lined with loss of life notices of native residents. Immediately, the municipality of Bor is likely one of the wealthiest in Serbia, regardless of native salaries remaining low, as in the remainder of the nation. The mine has expanded to the purpose of changing into one with the city. There are plans to relocate the whole neighborhood to Metovnica, an undeveloped space with only some scattered farms, however nothing has been confirmed but. Maintaining watch: Backside, a resident of Majdanpek seems towards the mine owned by the Chinese language firm Zijin Mining. An activist who has been combating for years towards air pollution and the uncontrolled growth of the mine, he has obtained each verbal and bodily threats for his social engagement.
Subsequent chapter: “This isn’t the top of the world, however from right here you may see it,” says Aladin Zekypy, pictured together with his two kids, aged 10 and seven, inside their house, which stands just some dozen meters from the open-pit mine in Bor. He goals of sooner or later having the ability to afford a more healthy place for his household.
