On the west coast of Cyprus, near Gemikonağı – formerly known as Karavostasi or Xeros – stand the remains of a large industrial pier. The structure was part of the mining complex of the Cyprus Mines Corporation (CMC), an American mining company that began operating on Cyprus in 1916.

CMC exploited several copper and pyrite mines across the island. To process and export the extracted ore, a large industrial complex was developed at Xeros. Mining areas such as Skouriotissa and Mavrovouni were connected to the coastal facilities by the company’s own railway.

During the 1920s, a loading pier was constructed at Karavostasi. From here, processed ore could be loaded directly onto ships for export. The surrounding industrial area also contained workshops, processing facilities and other buildings required for CMC’s large-scale mining operations. Historical photographs from the 1950s show the pier while it was still in active use.

The events of 1974 brought the original mining system to an end. Following the division of Cyprus, the mines and the coastal facilities became separated. The railway connection to Xeros ceased operating, and CMC ended its activities in the area.

Without the mines and railway connection, the loading pier lost the purpose for which it had been built. Parts of the enormous industrial complex disappeared during the following decades, although several remains can still be found along the coast.

Today, the old CMC loading pier stands heavily weathered in the sea. The surviving structure is one of the most visible reminders of a period when this quiet stretch of the Cypriot coast was an important centre for the processing and export of mineral ore.