Jinlong Copper Industry Becomes a Model for New-Type Copper Smelting Enterprises

　　The “Innovation and Application of Copper Smelting Technology” project of Tongling Nonferrous Metals Jinlong Copper Industry Co., Ltd. in Anhui Province was awarded the Nomination Prize of the China Industrial Awards at the 4th China Industrial Awards Ceremony held by the China Federation of Industrial Economics. This is yet another prestigious honor for the company, following its previous accolades such as the “National May Day Labor Award,” “National Advanced Collective for Emission Reduction,” and “Anhui’s First Top Ten Environmentally Friendly Enterprises.”

　　Comment: As the highest award in China’s industrial sector, the China Industry Award has drawn widespread attention and has become a fiercely competitive arena for leading enterprises in the industry. The award has achieved remarkable results—and even reached internationally leading levels—in areas such as innovation-driven development, intelligent manufacturing, green manufacturing, and strengthening foundational capabilities. This time, Tongling Nonferrous Metals Jinlong Copper Industry’s winning of the award is well-deserved. The company’s primary process employs world-leading flash smelting technology for copper production. After undergoing three rounds of capacity enhancement and technological innovation, it has set first-class technical and economic benchmarks in the copper smelting industry, among which... 10 The item has reached an internationally advanced level. 7 The item is at an internationally leading level. It is worth noting that the company’s physical labor productivity for cathode copper has reached... 900 ton / Person-years, with per capita total industrial output reaching 5000 10,000 yuan—the per capita labor productivity is on par with that of domestic peers. 4~6 It serves as a benchmark in the domestic copper smelting industry.

　 　Xiangtan Hengxin Shuttle Car Successfully “Enters” Africa

　　The shuttle car products developed and manufactured by Xiangtan Hengxin Industrial Co., Ltd. have set off on their journey to Kenya in Africa. This marks another overseas market that Xiangtan Hengxin has tapped into—following its previous exports of overhead passenger conveyance systems (commonly known as “monkey cars”) to countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam—and represents the company’s first entry into the African market. Currently, the number of Hengxin-branded “monkey cars” operating both domestically and internationally has exceeded... 1500 Tai, running length exceeds 1400 Kilometers—every day, there are more than 60 Ten thousand mine workers ride on Xiangtan Hengxin’s “monkey cars.” Xiangtan Hengxin has truly become the domestic “king of monkey cars.”

　　Comment: The “shuttle car” is an extremely common piece of equipment in mining enterprises, serving as the primary means of transporting personnel and materials. Yet despite its everyday nature, Xiangtan Hengxin has attached “great importance” to this seemingly ordinary product. By adopting an innovation-driven strategy and strengthening scientific and technological R&D, the company has successfully transformed China’s manufacturing model from “Made in China” to “Smart Manufacturing in China.” It has obtained numerous patented products with independent intellectual property rights and has effectively integrated its research findings with actual market needs and practical applications, thereby accelerating product upgrades and replacements. In particular, its independently developed hydraulically driven “monkey car” has completely broken the foreign technology monopoly. Not only has it put an end to the history of domestic mining companies importing such products, but it has also expanded beyond China’s borders, entering multiple overseas markets one after another.

　 　Modular, fully hydraulic drilling rigs pave the way for green exploration.

　　Faced with the dilemma of both protecting the ecological environment and conducting geological exploration, how can we address the challenge that traditional drilling techniques cause significant damage to surface vegetation, while portable drilling rigs fail to meet the demands of geological surveys? Canadian Drilling Company MULTI-POWER The introduction and promotion in China of the modular, fully hydraulic drilling rig manufactured by Man Di Bao Company have effectively addressed this challenge, providing a powerful tool for green exploration. According to reports, this drilling rig is not only highly modular and automated with exceptional flexibility, but also incorporates advanced design principles that minimize mud usage to the greatest extent possible. Moreover, it supports mud recycling, reduces mud discharge, and thereby lowers both environmental impact and the cost of purchasing mud.

　　Comment: Currently, the concept of green development has permeated the entire mining industry chain—from geological surveys and exploration to mineral extraction, processing, transportation, and market trade. As ecological protection increasingly gains prominence, the traditional, extensive approach to geological exploration can no longer be sustained. Establishing new paradigms for geological exploration, fully promoting green exploration practices, and implementing the principle of resource reduction—thereby avoiding destructive exploitation of resources, especially non-renewable ones—can help mitigate and prevent environmental damage. Finding a development model that is technology-driven, emphasizes resource conservation, and safeguards ecological integrity is the only viable path forward for geological survey institutions. In this regard, we need both to go global and to attract foreign expertise, seeking the optimal balance among efficiency, economic viability, and technological advancement.

　 　Jerry's integrated solutions are attracting attention.

　　3 At the 17th China International Petroleum & Petrochemical Technology & Equipment Exhibition, Jerry Group, under the theme of “New Models, New Technologies, and Heartfelt Service,” unveiled on-site an integrated solution comprising a thermal heavy oil electric coiled tubing unit, nitrogen-generation equipment, coiled tubing simulation analysis software, coupling inspection software, and intelligent control systems. This solution has attracted widespread attention from industry media and received unanimous praise from both domestic and international industry experts and customers. Currently, Jerry has expanded its reach globally. 63 The company has supplied large quantities of petroleum equipment and services to numerous countries and regions, working side by side with customers at major oilfields around the world.

　　Comment: As a modern enterprise serving as a supplier, what it offers is no longer merely simple products and technologies; rather, it provides integrated R&D and design solutions—including products, technologies, and services—centered around the entire supply chain. Jerry Group’s “new model” further demonstrates its privately customized R&D platform, turning customers’ ideas into reality and delivering turnkey projects to them. It can be said that Jerry Group has accumulated extensive experience in the oil, natural gas, and environmental protection sectors and boasts some of the most advanced equipment and technical services in China. By optimizing and integrating these strengths, Jerry Group is achieving its own transformation and upgrading while gaining greater market share.

　 　Even in coal seams with three soft layers and multiple hazards, pillarless mining is still possible.

　　The longwall mining technology for gob-side entry retaining without coal pillars, independently developed by the Hancheng Mining Company of Shaanxi Coal and Chemical Industry Group, has undergone... 6 After years of continuous research and technological breakthroughs, a new pillarless mining technique has been pioneered in the three-soft, multi-hazard coal seams, resulting in a unique set of technologies for maintaining roadways along the mined-out areas. This not only enhances the recovery rate of coal resources but also generates indirect benefits worth millions of yuan each year. 1 Over 100 million yuan. It is understood that, following the promotion of technologies such as pumped concrete flexible-formwork support for gob-side entry retaining and aluminum-alloy formwork support, the company... 2016 The trial of the roof-cutting and pressure-relief technology for leaving roadways along goaf began at the start of the year and was successfully implemented, with a total of roadways left throughout the year. 1970 The meter has improved single-entry efficiency, alleviated the tight scheduling of mining operations, and reduced production costs.

　　Comment: Mine safety production is influenced by multiple factors, such as geological conditions, water hazards, and gas disasters. Generally speaking, although the traditional coal-pillar mining method is safe, it often leads to substantial resource wastage. It is precisely out of these considerations that Han Cheng Mining Company has embarked on exploring the application of gob-side entry retaining technology under complex geological conditions—“seeking its own path forward”: from flexible-formwork support and aluminum-alloy formwork support to roof-cutting-and-gob-side-entry-retaining support, the company has developed a rapid filling process for gob-side entries, invented several integrated filling systems—including rigid-formwork filling, flexible-formwork filling, and form-box filling—and established a set of technical standards and management regulations for gob-side entry retaining. Practice has proven the truth. Through repeated trials, this technology has not only achieved safe and efficient mining but has also yielded remarkable results. 3 A utility model patent, and recipient of multiple science and technology awards from Shaanxi Province.

　　 The new coal mining machine developed by Jin Coal demonstrates remarkable performance in experimental applications.

　　Independently developed by Jincheng Coal Group 8G The coal mining machine has repeatedly achieved outstanding results in experimental applications—using only conventional coal mining machines. 1/3 the power, 1/3 The cost has been achieved, and mining has been realized. 6 A working face about one meter high, producing coal daily. 1.8 Ten thousand tons. This coal mining machine boasts advantages such as lightweight design, compact structure, simple operation, low motor power, and low energy consumption. It can simultaneously perform both coal cutting and coal discharge during face advancement, making it particularly well-suited for use in the one-time high-extraction process of thick coal seams under complex geological conditions.

　　Comment: 8G The coal mining machine can be described as extraordinary from the very beginning—featuring large mining height, high output, high efficiency, high profitability, high environmental performance, a favorable input-output ratio, superior safety, and excellent adaptability. 2015 Moreover, the company was awarded the Special Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress in the National Coal Industry. Given such high-end equipment, how will it perform in underground applications? Will it be compatible with the mine’s entire fully-mechanized mining system and special geological conditions? Can it truly deliver on its mission of safe and efficient coal extraction? These are concerns shared by many industry insiders. According to what we’ve learned, 8G Zhaozhuang Coal Mine, where the coal mining machinery is used, is a mine under the Jinmei Group with relatively complex geological conditions. Two years of practical technical upgrades and two years of exploratory trials and coordination— 8G The coal mining machine has become highly proficient and is demonstrating its full power. Moreover, its remote-control system has become smarter and more efficient than before.

　 　Many regions are actively developing the graphene industry.

　　2017 The Annual Jiangsu Graphene Industry Development Summit was held in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province. Experts from China’s graphene field jointly discussed current issues related to graphene research and development, applications, and industrialization in China. The reporter noted that graphene is part of the carbon materials industry chain, one of Changzhou’s “Ten Major Industrial Chains.” Just recently, Changzhou’s Graphene Town was included among the first batch of projects designated by Jiangsu Province. 25 on the list of provincial-level characteristic towns. It is understood that since... 2010 Since the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to the creators of graphene, graphene’s “popularity” in the industrial sector has been steadily rising.

　　Comment: Due to its unique properties, graphene is known as the “king of new materials” and is even hailed as the “...” 21 “The black technology of the century.” Therefore, new breakthroughs in graphene research and application are likely to trigger a disruptive technological revolution. This is also one of the key reasons why graphene development has attracted so much attention and enthusiasm. It should be said that China enjoys a certain first-mover advantage in graphene research and development and industrial deployment—from the establishment of graphene industrial parks across various regions to the steady advancement of scientific and technological R&D, from the constant emergence of “graphene” products to the fervent interest from capital markets—graphene’s popularity is undeniable. However, we must recognize that graphene is not a panacea. Its research must focus on identifying the most suitable and irreplaceable application areas among the many potential industrial directions, thereby truly unlocking the full commercialization potential of this material.

　　 Lu Molybdenum’s intelligent equipment technology has reached an internationally advanced level.

　　The project “Research and Development of Intelligent Equipment and Key Technologies for the Sandaozhuang Open-Pit Mine,” led by Luoyang Molybdenum Group, has passed the appraisal organized by the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association. The project’s overall technology has reached an internationally advanced level and holds broad prospects for widespread application and promotion. Based on the mine geological conditions, resource occurrence patterns, and production operating environment of the Sandaozhuang mining area, Luoyang Molybdenum Group has carried out a series of parameter optimizations and implemented remote control of production equipment operations. - Remote control and remote operation - Through unmanned, intelligent operations, we have gradually established a highly efficient, practical, and safe intelligent system for open-pit mining equipment.

　　Comment: Intelligent mining represents a major global trend in the development of the mining industry, and automated and remotely controlled mining technologies are key to achieving mine intelligence. As a leading enterprise in China’s molybdenum and tungsten industries, Luoyang Molybdenum Group is integrating information technology with industrialization, embarking on a path of intelligent upgrading and actively spearheading the transformation and upgrading of traditional mining enterprises. In this process, the power of independently developed technologies cannot be underestimated. Luoyang Molybdenum Group not only focuses on the practical realities of current mine operations but also harbors a visionary aspiration toward “remotely controlled and unmanned mining.” The company has successfully developed remote control systems for drilling, loading, and transportation equipment, and has equipped these machines with onboard sensors. By optimizing a series of parameters based on the geological conditions, resource distribution patterns, and production environments of the Sandaozhuang mining area, Luoyang Molybdenum Group has gradually established an efficient, practical, and safe intelligent system for open-pit mining equipment—with broad prospects for widespread adoption and application.

　 　Intelligent Manufacturing of Hydraulic Supports for Ta Gao Coal Mine

　　Shandong Energy Group Tago Company has gradually established a smart system for open-pit mining equipment that is efficient, practical, and safe. The company is vigorously promoting the transformation and upgrading of hydraulic support manufacturing for coal mines—from “manufacturing” to “intelligent manufacturing,” accelerating the shift from old to new growth drivers, and seizing domestic and international market shares with more advanced products.

　　Comment: Ta Gao Company boasts formidable strength in the manufacturing of hydraulic supports. Its products are not only high-end and intelligent but also its manufacturing equipment is智能化 (intelligent). The company’s core technologies have reached domestically leading and internationally advanced levels. Its “intelligent” operations have significantly boosted more than just work efficiency. As industry insiders put it, the intelligent upgrade has opened up new avenues for the production and manufacturing of China’s coal mine hydraulic support products, enhancing the core competitiveness of China’s coal machinery equipment in the global high-end coal machinery market. Relying on its advanced, high-end equipment manufacturing capabilities, Ta Gao Company has actively expanded into overseas markets, establishing cooperative relationships with countries and regions including Australia, South Korea, Canada, Poland, and Hong Kong. By “bringing in” intelligent equipment and “going out” with intelligent machinery, Ta Gao Company has demonstrated remarkable strategic acumen and fully showcased its strength.

　 　Smart manufacturing industry policies are being implemented one after another.

　　After nearly half a year of selection work, 2017 The list of pilot and demonstration projects for intelligent manufacturing for the year has been basically finalized and has entered the public notice phase. It is reported that a total of participants come from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Xinjiang, and other regions. 25 of each province, city, and district 97 Five pilot projects have been selected, covering multiple manufacturing sectors including petrochemicals, steel, aerospace, and new energy.

　　Commentary: Intelligent manufacturing is the core strategic lever for China’s implementation of the “Made in China 2025” initiative. Not only is intelligent manufacturing a crucial opportunity for China to achieve the transformation and upgrading of its manufacturing sector, but it also directly determines the success or failure of the “Made in China 2025” strategy. Undoubtedly, intelligent manufacturing will become one of the industries with the greatest growth potential in the medium and long term, and will emerge as a new hotspot for venture capital investment. There is broad industry consensus that intelligent manufacturing will play an even more critical role in the future development of manufacturing. Beyond driving the overall transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing sector, it will also create a new wave of industrial opportunities. As pilot and demonstration projects for intelligent manufacturing are implemented, both traditional industries and strategically emerging industries will reap significant benefits.

　　 Shanxi coal companies are piloting robotic operations.

　　Inside the voltage-reducing substation at Beitouzui in the No. 1 Mine of Shanxi Yangmei Group, an intelligent inspection robot travels along a pre-set path, collecting instrument readings and other data within two hours. 400 Multiple data points were transmitted back to the monitoring room. Previously, collecting the aforementioned data would have required at least two operations and maintenance personnel, each carrying measurement equipment, to hike for two full days. According to preliminary estimates, this robotic device has reduced the company’s annual labor costs. 20 Ten thousand ~40 Ten thousand yuan. What the industry is most optimistic about regarding robots is their potential to replace workers in underground operations in the future, thereby reducing safety accidents and enhancing economic benefits.

　　Comment: How can the traditional coal industry enhance its competitiveness? Leveraging new technologies such as digitalization and intelligent automation is undoubtedly one viable approach. In Shanxi, a major coal-producing province, the state-owned enterprise reform plan has identified the application of smart robotic technology in hazardous jobs and positions within coal mines as a key direction. In fact, Yangmei Group had already begun exploring the use of robots in the coal sector. The intelligent inspection robots developed in collaboration with universities and research institutions can perform autonomous inspections and self-charge, thereby eliminating issues such as missed inspections or misjudgments of defects that often occur during manual inspections. Moreover, the implementation of automated and intelligent longwall mining systems has reduced the number of workers on-site by more than 20,000, significantly boosting labor efficiency and lowering overall production costs. At present, the integration of intelligence, automation, and information technology into the coal industry is still in its early stages. Looking ahead, robots will take on increasingly greater responsibilities—from indoor to outdoor environments, and from above-ground to underground operations—in hazardous and critical roles.

　 　The world’s first shield-type rapid mining and anchoring machine for coal mines has been delivered.

　　The world’s first shield-type rapid mining and anchoring equipment, independently developed by China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Group, has been successfully delivered and is now in service at a large coal mine in Yulin, Shaanxi Province. Reportedly, this marks the first time globally that simultaneous excavation and anchoring operations have been achieved—a truly remarkable piece of equipment. The successful development of this equipment has broken China’s long-standing reliance on imported mining and anchoring machinery in the coal machinery industry, filling a significant gap in the sector. It is currently the most advanced underground mining equipment available both domestically and internationally, perfectly aligned with the nation’s drive toward safe, efficient, and intelligent development of the coal industry.

　　Comment: China is the world’s largest user of coal mining equipment, with a huge market demand. Currently, all in-service roadheaders and bolters rely on imports. Not to mention that imported roadheaders and bolters are expensive, have long delivery times, and suffer from delayed availability of spare parts. Most critically, imported roadheaders and bolters cannot achieve simultaneous excavation and anchoring, resulting in prolonged support periods and a severe imbalance between coal mining and tunneling operations. The shield-type rapid roadheader and bolter independently developed by China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Group has, for the first time in the world, realized simultaneous excavation and anchoring operations, thereby solving the global challenge of asynchronous excavation and anchoring found in similar equipment. This breakthrough provides coal mines with a comprehensive, automated, and mechanized construction solution, along with a full suite of intelligent, high-end equipment, thus strongly accelerating the transformation of China’s coal mining industry toward intelligence, digitalization, and green practices.

　　 Mining robots are ushering in a new direction for development.

　　Mineral resource extraction is the primary means by which humanity obtains energy, and the mining industry is also one of the key raw-material industries. In recent years, as the global mineral resource extraction sector continues to expand, extraction difficulties keep increasing, and awareness of safety and security has grown stronger, countries have placed great emphasis on the integration of the mining industry with advanced technology. As mineral resource extraction faces numerous new challenges, technological products for the mining industry—such as mining robots—are accelerating their development. Looking ahead, as demand for mineral resource extraction in deep-sea and space environments continues to rise and commercial exploitation draws nearer, the development of mining robots will become even more diversified, high-end, and intelligent.

　　Comment: In recent years, technological innovation in the mining sector has been advancing at an unprecedented pace. Particularly with the integrated development of digitalization, intelligence, information technology, and automation, the smart transformation of the mining industry has entered a new phase. Moreover, amid the rapid growth of robotics and artificial intelligence, mining robots—serving the mining industry—are also seizing significant development opportunities. Diversification, high-endization, and intelligentization have become the mainstream trends driving the accelerated development of mining robots. Looking ahead, whether it’s underwater mining robots, deep-sea mining robots, or even space mining robots, their autonomous capabilities, analytical abilities, and operational performance will all see substantial improvements, supported by artificial intelligence.

　 　China Achieves Breakthrough in Desalination of Seawater Using Graphene Oxide Membranes

　　Following the father of graphene, 2010 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics laureate Andre Geim ( Andre Geim After the team explored controlling the pore size of graphene oxide membranes to desalinate seawater, Chinese scientists have also achieved a new breakthrough in this field. 10 Moon 9 Day, the international academic journal « Nature The research paper titled “Ion Sieving via Cation-Controlled Layer Spacing in Graphene Oxide Membranes” has been published online. This study proposes and demonstrates a method for precisely controlling the interlayer spacing of graphene membranes through hydrated ions, showcasing outstanding ion sieving and seawater desalination performance.

　　Comment: This study not only provides theoretical and technical guidance for the design and fabrication of graphene membranes, but also opens up new avenues for research on other two-dimensional materials in the field of separation membranes. As Geim, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on graphene, once remarked, “I believe that applying graphene oxide films to seawater desalination represents a commercially viable example. In the future of seawater desalination, thanks to the use of graphene oxide, I think its costs will continue to decline—making this an excellent example for commercialization.” However, there may still be certain challenges to overcome in terms of scaling up the production of stable graphene oxide film systems in an industrial setting at low cost, while also ensuring their effective resistance to corrosion caused by organic substances, salts, and biological materials.

　　 China's first domestically produced 8 The U.S. large-height shearer has passed the review.

　　The first domestically produced high-performance [equipment] jointly manufactured by Shaanxi Coal Heavy Equipment Xi'an Coal Mining Machinery Co., Ltd. and Shenhua Shendong Company. 8 The high-capacity coal mining machine from Meida has passed the factory acceptance review organized by the China National Coal Association. This mining machine will be sent to the Bulianta Coal Mine of Shenhua Shendong Company for industrial trials underground, with an estimated monthly production capacity. 150 Ten thousand tons.

　　Comment: High-performance equipment developed by Xi'an Coal Machinery Company. 8 The large-capacity coal mining machine developed by Meida is a domestic first, with overall performance indicators reaching international advanced levels and capable of meeting... 8 The mining demand for the high-performance longwall face at Meida, as indicated by the professional opinion provided by the review experts. Previously, the first domestically produced high-performance unit manufactured by Xi'an Coal Machinery Company... 7 The large-capacity coal mining machine developed by Meida has been put into trial operation at the Daliuta Coal Mine of Shendong Company. All performance indicators of the product have reached or exceeded those of comparable imported products. This marks the first domestically produced high-performance... 8 The success of the U.S.-made high-capacity coal mining machine project is of great significance for achieving high-yield and efficient mining in extra-thick coal seams, reducing the cost of spare parts procurement, improving mining efficiency, and enhancing the core competitiveness of China's coal mining machinery equipment manufacturing industry. It also represents another major breakthrough in China's ongoing process of localizing imported coal mining machines.