[2] Local legend holds that a young local man, Paun Meždinović, was the discover of the first lump of copper ore, but it was industrialist Đorđe Vajfert who made the first formal exploitations - forming La Compagnie française des mines de Bor, Concession St. George with French financing, in1903.
The expansion of the facilities, particularly the smelter and the froth flotation tanks, brought about environmental pollution from the sulfuric acid fumes.
This had an indirect influence on the increase in the price of food products in the area, as well as protests from the local population involved in agriculture.
[2] Following periods of economic lull and boom, the Bor Mines and Smelters public company was founded by Yugoslav government decree by 1945.
[2] Largely due to the growth of the mine's workforce and associated industry, the town of Bor was given city status in 1947.