INITIATIVES FOR NEW MINES IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
Ilovica Gold-copper mine
Ilovica Gold-Copper Project, covering an area of 17.1km², is located within the municipality of
Bosilovo, approximately 20km east of the town of Strumica, on the western slopes of the
Maleševske mountain range in southeast Macedonia.The mine life is estimated at 20 years, during
which production is estimated to average 83,000oz of gold doré and 16,000t of copper concentrates
a year.The initial investment to bring the project into production is estimated to be €431.2m
($474.3m). The project is expected to generate approximately 700 jobs during the construction
phase and 500 jobs during operations.The mining method selected for the project is the open-pit
mining incorporating conventional drilling, blasting, shovel and truck dump operations (Electronic
resource: URL: http://www.mining-technology.com/projects/ilovica-gold-copper-project/).
"The completion of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the Ilovica Project
demonstrates that we will be operating in a safe and socially and environmentally responsible way.
Our monitoring program covers monthly natural water sources and underground water samples. As
is naturally present and we have that in consideration. The operating with the new mine will initiate
small licking of As, but the level of As in the rocks is minimal and we will undertake precaution
measures." – was said at the first public debate related to Ilovica mine which was very cruel. The
representative of local community respond: ―I am horrible from your presentation. I would like to
sent you a request on behalf of the local people to invest those 500 million $ in agriculture, tourism
and other sectors which will provide prosperity and job places. We didn‘t see anything about the
concentration of As and your measures. You are obligated to share those data with these people.
The other participant in the debate added: ―I am simple man and mostly I was working as goat
breeder. If the massive rain falls, do you know where will end up the min‘s dams? Directly in
Samoil‘s garden and from there in Strumicko pole which will be contaminated. Who will wash that?
I suppose that there will be just teams for taking photos and counting dead and cancer affected peo-
ple in village Stuka‖. ―I do not think the opening of a mine is a good idea. As far as we are con-
cerned it does not matter, our time has passed, but I think about our future, our children.The source
of food is here. If the mine is opened, agriculture will collapse, and our fields are the best in Mace-
donia‖.
Citizens of Bosilovo, as well as the citizens of neighbouring municipalities, are concerned
about the potential impact of ore mining on their health and the prosperity of their agricultural re-
gion.Bosilovo citizens in southeastern Macedonia held a referendum on the construction of Ilovica
mining complex in that municipality.12,301 people have the right to vote.Citizens of Bosilovo were
voting for or against the construction of the mine but the referendum was not successful due to the
non enough voters whose use their voting right.
Kazandol cathode-copper mine
Operator is proposing to build and putinto operation a new mining complex for production
of cathode copper on a site, in the area called Kazandol, in the municipality of Valandovo, located
in the Southeast region of the Republic of Macedonia. The wider area of the project is situated with-
in the boundaries of Valandovo, at a relative distance of 4 km from the town of Valandovo, south-
wards positioned. Valandovo Pole isa fertile alluvial plain surrounded by the mountains. The field
expands towards southeast to River Vardar‘s valley and then proceeds southwards into Gevgelija
Pole. The Municipalityof Valandovo is situated in southeastern part of Macedonia spreading over
an area of 331 km, accommodating 17 settlements with total of 11.890 inhabitants. The most ad-
versely affected community is the one inthe village of Kazandol, which actually borders the conces-
sion field, and it is some 300-400 m far from the mine complex. Their single connection to the
world shall be used by both, the project and the residents. Their health and safety, their livestock
and their way of life shall be the most affected bythis project, but not in a sense to survive unbeara-
ble life condition, but in a sense of influences that can significantly change their life, sooner or later.
The community is slightly vulnerable and the project might contribute toward intensifying such
state. Thus most of the social mitigation measures are concentrated around this community (Sar-
dich, 2015).
So far, four referendums have been held in southeastern Macedonia, in municipalities where
people mostly live from agriculture.The first referendum was held in the municipality of Gevgelia
in April, when 99 percent of people voted against the opening of a gold mine on the nearby Kozuf
Mountain.Investor, the Canadian company Reservoir Minerals, subsequently abandoned the pro-
ject.After the announcement of the possible opening of Kazandol Copper and Gold mine, three
more referendums were held in the municipalities of Bogdanci, Dojran and Valandovo.In Bogdanci
municipality, in June, 98 per cent of residents voted against the opening of a mine, while 96 per
cent of people in Dojran also voted against.The only municipality where the referendum failed was
Valandovo because less than 50 percent of eligible voters participated. Otherwise, 95 percent of
people were against the opening of copper and gold mine.
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