Tongling, located on the southern bank of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, is an important part of the copper ore belt in this region. Named after copper and thriving because of it, Tongling has long been known for its... “ China’s Ancient Bronze Capital, a Contemporary Copper Base ” known as such. The history of copper mining and smelting began in the Shang and Zhou dynasties, flourished during the Han and Tang dynasties, and has continued ever since. 3500 In the years that followed, Tongling produced China’s very first batch of molten copper and its very first copper ingot. The first copper industrial base was established in Tongling, and the very first copper industry stock was issued from Tongling.

　　I. Basic Information on the Tongling Ancient Copper Mine Site

　　There are numerous ancient copper mine sites within Tongling’s borders. During the nation’s third census of immovable cultural relics, new sites were discovered within Tongling’s territory. 30 At numerous Shang and Zhou settlement sites, in addition to some impressed pottery shards, proto-porcelain, and red-fired earth, most sites have also yielded slag from smelting.

　　2010 Year 3 In order to support the construction of the Beijing-Fuzhou High-Speed Railway, the Anhui Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology conducted excavations at the Shigu Dun site. The excavation yielded a large number of sandy gray pottery and black-surfaced earthenware from the Xia and Shang dynasties. In the late Shang Dynasty strata, copper slag and a fragment of a bronze spearhead were unearthed. At the Muyushan smelting site, slag remnants are widespread; in the last century... 70 When hydraulic projects were constructed during that era, artifacts were also unearthed. 200 Several jin of copper ingots, which are菱-shaped, iron-brown in color, and weigh approximately... 3500 Ker ~4000 K, testing has shown that the copper ingots in this batch have a copper content of... 28%~60% , with an iron content of 18%~30% The copper-iron alloy matte ingots represent a significant advancement in China’s history of copper smelting using copper sulfide, pushing the timeline back to the Western Zhou Dynasty. Jinniu Cave is an archaeological mining site dating from the Western Han period; the mine shafts employed wooden support structures, and the vertical shafts utilized... “ Tongue-and-groove square frame dense support ” The structure featured high compressive strength and represented a relatively advanced mining technology for its time. According to the "Records of the Grand Historian," · According to the "Book of Han," during the Western Han Dynasty, a copper official post was established at what is now Tongling's Tongguan Mountain. At Luojia Village, located at the northern foot of Tongguan Mountain, dozens of stone slabs, each roughly this size, can still be found today. 0.5 cubic meter ~0.7 The oversized slag heap, measured in cubic meters, clearly shows several distinct layers, suggesting it is the product of multiple smelting and slag-discharging cycles. On Tongjing Mountain, there are deposits of varying sizes—large and small—scattered throughout. 40 The Kougu Mine is surrounded by vast amounts of smelting slag, which has been piled up in layers, forming towering mounds. Some local villagers have even used this slag to build walls, construct houses, and pave roads, making it a unique feature of the area. “ Building materials ” The slag remaining to this day still amounts to nearly... 10 Michael.

　　According to numerous archaeological excavations conducted in recent years, mining and metallurgical sites in the Tongling area are often located close to or adjacent to one another, each forming its own distinct mining and metallurgical center at the time. Mining shaft sites are typically situated on the mid-slope of copper ore deposits, while smelting sites are located at the foot of the mountains where copper ores are found, or on elevated terraces near rivers close to the mines. The strategic location of smelting sites near copper ore regions offers clear advantages: first, it allows for integrated mining and smelting operations, thereby reducing transportation costs; second, being situated near rivers close to the mines facilitates water access for workers' daily life.

　　Throughout its long history of copper mining and smelting, successive generations of scholars have often described it. During the Tang Dynasty, the great poet Li Bai traveled to Tongling and, faced with the spectacular sight of copper smelting, left behind... “ The furnace fire illuminates heaven and earth, red stars scatter amidst purple smoke. ” In a magnificent poetic ode, the great Song Dynasty poet Mei Yaochen, upon arriving in Tongling, penned the poem "Mount Tongguan" in response to the sight of mining activities. “ The jade mine yields no earth; the green hills are endlessly carved. The green hills are endlessly carved, leaving ghosts and spirits in deep distress. ” During the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, copper mining and smelting activities in the Tongling region virtually came to a halt, with hardly any records remaining in historical documents. Moreover, archaeological excavations have yielded extremely few remains from the Three Dynasties period.

　　II. Environmental Impacts of Ancient Copper Mining and Smelting

　　During the Southern Song Dynasty, Guo Yao, the magistrate of Nanling, decisively pointed out in his "Memorial Requesting Exemption from the Gongshan Mining and Smelting Tax" that... “ Submit to the court, and immediately proceed to leave. ” He requested that the court immediately approve a halt to copper mining, citing as his primary reason that copper mining would... “ Chisel through the valley ”、 “ Create bad feng shui ” , and even “ No water or drought disaster ever fails to originate from this. ” , smelting copper ore “ The furnace makers gather outlaws. ” Yu “ A place untouched by human feet ” Illegal logging, “ Cutting wood from two mountains to supply firewood and charcoal— even tender leaves and supple branches cannot escape this fate. “” Hiking to the mountaintop, I wandered around and looked around carefully, only to find that the forests and trees were overgrown and in disrepair, while the mountain’s slopes had been almost entirely excavated and carved. ” The unregulated and unrestrained mining and smelting of copper ore have already caused severe damage to the surrounding ecological environment, leading to frequent floods and droughts. This has drawn the attention of local officials, who have directly submitted petitions to the imperial court, urging action. “ If we don't stop the iron furnace, we might as well exhaust our sincerity in vain. ” After that, mining and smelting activities in the Tongling region indeed came to a halt. If it was indeed due to the memorial submitted by the county magistrate Guo Yao that mining and smelting in Tongling were brought to a standstill, then he would not only be the ancient official with the most advanced vision for environmental and ecological development, but his "Memorial Requesting Exemption from the Mining and Smelting of Gongshan Pit" would also become the most effective petition ever submitted by a local official.

　　According to our understanding of the development of modern science, the unregulated mining and smelting of copper ores can trigger a series of environmental problems:

　　First, there is severe soil and water erosion. After a copper mine is discovered, the vegetation on the mine site’s surface is first cleared, leaving no refuge for the organisms living in the mountains and forests and disrupting the original ecosystem. Excavation is an essential step in mining operations; if not strictly controlled, it can trigger soil and water erosion, which typically affects large areas. Soil and water erosion, in turn, leads to river siltation, making it difficult to obtain water for agricultural irrigation and increasing the frequency of both droughts and floods, thereby threatening public safety.

　　Second, there is water pollution and land degradation. Mining activities generate large quantities of mine waste and tailings. As a result of mining, heavy metals migrate from the mining areas into the sediment at nearby rivers. Moreover, as mining continues, the concentration of heavy metals in river sediments gradually accumulates and increases. These harmful substances in mine waste then cause water pollution, leading to excessively high groundwater hardness and soil salinity levels that exceed the tolerance limits of crops. This poses severe threats to agricultural production and land use.

　　Third, there are ground subsidence and landslides. Mining activities can disrupt the soil structure within mining areas, leading to ground subsidence and, in severe cases, even ground collapses. Mine exploitation greatly increases the likelihood of disasters such as landslides and debris flows. Rock masses and soils located on slopes are subjected to gravitational forces and move downward, posing a significant safety threat to miners and nearby residents. These types of disasters are highly destructive and often occur suddenly, making prevention efforts particularly challenging.

　　Fourth, mine slag and waste rock are encroaching upon and damaging land. Mining and smelting activities generate large quantities of solid waste, most of which consists of waste ore (soil), tailings, coal gangue, and slag from smelting processes. These wastes are often piled up near mining and smelting sites, encroaching upon valuable land. Moreover, a great deal of contaminated rock and soil is discarded around mining areas, becoming sources of pollution that severely degrade the surrounding environment. Under the influence of sunlight and rainfall, these contaminants can spread further, contaminating even wider areas.

　　III. Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.

　　As the economy and society move forward, it not only requires... “ Mountains of gold and silver ” , also required “ Green waters and green mountains ” Persist. “ Green waters and green mountains ” It is. “ Mountains of gold and silver ” As a fundamental guiding principle, we must take into account the actual conditions of resources and the environment in different regions, adopting approaches that are tailored to local circumstances and adapted to specific time periods, thereby promoting the coordination of the conflict between environmental protection and mineral resource development. In the process of mineral resource development, it is imperative to regard the region’s ecological environment’s capacity for recovery as a prerequisite. If the necessary conditions for ecological protection are not yet met, development should be postponed until those conditions become favorable.

　　Establish a comprehensive set of regulations that coordinate resource development with ecological and environmental protection. Currently, China does not yet have a complete regulatory framework or specialized policies and regulations for the protection of the ecological environment associated with mining resources. Since multiple government departments are involved in ecological and environmental protection, and each department focuses on different aspects of the work, conflicts or gaps are likely to arise. It is imperative to strengthen coordination and establish a sound legal framework for the prevention and control of geological and ecological impacts from mining activities, while relevant government departments enforce management in strict accordance with the law.

　　Implement a stringent environmental impact assessment (EIA) system. Further advance the environmental evaluation system for resource development: all plans prepared for resource development must undergo an environmental impact assessment. In accordance with the requirements of environmental approval, not only the mining and production stages but also every stage—including tailings management and ecological restoration—must be subject to environmental impact assessment; otherwise, such plans will not be accepted.

　　Leverage technological innovation to promote resource development and ecological conservation. China boasts a comprehensive array of mineral resources, with co-occurrence of various resources being quite common. This presents enormous potential for integrated utilization. It is essential for relevant research institutions and enterprises to strengthen cooperation, rely on technological innovation, promote advanced and suitable processes and technologies, extend the industrial chain of resource development and utilization, and reduce resource waste and environmental pollution. On the other hand, we should develop alternative resources and enhance energy efficiency, while stepping up R&D and application of new technologies.

　　Governance and restoration of the ecological environment. The governance and restoration of the existing geological environment of mines is also an urgent task, especially the remediation of open-pit mines, which is particularly pressing. Open-pit mine pits often pose hidden dangers that can trigger disasters and serve as major contributing factors to landslides, mudflows, and other calamities. Mining enterprises should plant vegetation and leverage biotechnology to improve the environmental conditions in mining areas, thereby accelerating the restoration of the original lush green landscapes.

　　Developing resources and protecting the ecosystem are, in essence, both about harnessing the value of resources. Resource development involves tapping into the utility of various resources for human well-being, thereby realizing their asset value. In contrast, ecological conservation fundamentally emphasizes the value of untapped resources—though it is precisely because ecosystems are difficult to price on the market that we often fail to recognize their worth until they’re lost, at which point we deeply regret their absence. Building an ecological civilization is a long-term strategic endeavor that concerns the well-being of the people and the future of our nation. Faced with the grim realities of tightening resource constraints, severe environmental pollution, and ecosystem degradation, we must shift away from the traditional model of mineral resource exploitation and embrace a path of sustainable development. To do so, we need to establish comprehensive legal frameworks that harmoniously integrate resource development with ecological conservation, implement rigorous environmental impact assessment systems, and leverage scientific and technological innovation to promote coordinated progress in resource development and ecological protection. Through measures such as ecological conservation, restoration, and remediation, we must explore a broad path of integrated social, economic, environmental, and resource development—a path that ensures the sustained and balanced growth of society, economy, environment, and resources, thus building a beautiful China and achieving the enduring development of the Chinese nation.