Five mines for the excavation of copper-bearing
ores operate in the area of Kalavasos. These mines are known
with the names "Platies", "Petra", "Mavri
Sykia", "Lantaria", and "Mavridia",
all of them belonging to the Greek Mining Company (GMC).
The mining area of Kalavasos covers a range
of 18 square kilometres, the centre of which is located north
of the Kalavasos village, about 10 kilometres from the Vasiliko
beach and around 13 kilometres from the ancient city of Amathous.
The ore from the Kalavasos mines was transferred via railway
to the harbour of Vasiliko. Processing took place in the factory
that existed there and then -through a system of overhead
loading -it was loaded onto ships to be exported.
The piles of rust and other mining leftovers
found in the Kalavasos region provide proofs of note-worthy
mining activity during ancient times, attributed to the Phoenicians
and -later on -to the Romans.
In more recent years, the Kalavasos area
begun drawing the attention of mining corporations since 1927,
when the Pyrite Mining Company conducted researches in the
area. The research brought some none-copper-bearing pyrite
deposits to light, which however were not commercially exploitable.
So, the relevant mining license was suspended in 1932.
The research of the Kalavasos area started
again more systematically in 1935 by the Greek Company of
Chemical Products and Fertilizers. The results of the research
were very encouraging and the region evolved into a great
mining centre. The Greek Mining Company, the stakes of which
were transferred to the Greek-Cypriot community with the independence
of Cyprus in 1960, assumed the mining activities of the GCCPF
in 1948.
The aggregate volume of reserves in the
deposits of the Kalavasos's area were calculated by professor
L. Mousoulos to be approximately 8.5 million tones. The ore
production in the Kalavasos region started in 1937 and ended
in 1978. A total of 5.5 million tones of ore were mined in
the region during that period, while the export of ore by
the mines of Kalavasos during the same period surpass 3 million
tones.
Located about 3 kilometres west of the Asgata
village. The large accumulations of rust in the region prove
the intense mining activity that occurred during ancient times.
The deposit had a volume of about 250.000 tones and its content
in copper was 1% and 30% in sulphur. The modern mining activities
started in 1955. After a five-year recess (1959-1963) the
activities continued until 1965, when they were terminated
definitely. A total of 45,000 tones of ore were dug out of
the mine.
Located about 2.5 kilometres east of the
Platies mine. The deposit had a volume of about 500.000 tones
with an average content of 1.5% in copper and 40% in sulphur.
Mining activity started in 1953 -at a depth of about 50 meters
-and ended in 1966. A total of 290,000 tones of ore were dug
out of the Petra mine
Located almost 1 kilometre north of the
Platies mine. In this mine there was intense mining activity
during ancient times. The deposit had a volume of 1.5 million
tones with an average content of 1% in copper and 30% in sulphur.
Modern ore production started in 1954 and continued until
1976 with intermediary recesses in 1965-1969 and in 1972-1975.
A total of 437,000 tones of ore were dug out of the mine.
Located 250 meters from the Mavri Sykia mine. Little mining
activity must have taken place in this mine during ancient
times. Its deposit had a volume of 500,000 tones with an average
content of 0.5% copper and 30% in sulphur. Its modern mining
activities started in 1961 and ended in 1964. 65,000 tones
of ore were dug out of the mine.
I is located between the Petra and Platies
mines and it is the first mine in the Kalavasos region in
which modern mining activities begun in 1937. It is the largest
in terms of reserves and production of copper-bearing ore.
The Mavridia mine includes six deposits with an aggregate
volume of 5,750,000 tones. The Mousoulou deposit is the largest
of them with a volume of 2,500,000 tones and with an average
content of 2% in copper and 40% in sulphur. This deposit was
discovered in 1946 and was name "the Mousoulou deposit"
in honour of professor L. Mousoulou who substantially contributed
to its discovery by GMC.
Since the beginning of the mining activities in the Mavridia
region in 1937 and up to the termination of production in
1978, a total of 3.2 million tones of ore were produced. At
the same period, the export of ore from the Mavridia region's
deposits amounted to approximately 2 million tones.
The mines of Kalavasos provided employment
to the rural population of the neighbouring villages and offered
a great sum to the economy of Cyprus through the import of
foreign currency. The operations of the mines were essential
for the economy of the island.
Today the mines remain shut and abandoned.
The Community Council of Kalavasos has scheduled the maintenance
of the entrance of the Mousoulou mine so that the visitors
will observe the mining process of the ore as it was done
in older times.
The basic raw material for the making of
cement is produced in the Limestone Quarry of the Vasiliko
Cement Industries. The Limestone Quarry operates since the
very first years of the Cement Industry's establishment, in
an area west of Kalavasos. |
