Zijin gives up further geological research near Belgrade - There will be no mines on Kosmaj and Avala

Serbia Zijin Mining d.o.o. Bor has reached a decision to abandon further geological research of polymetallic mineralization in the area of Babe-Ljuta strana on Kosmaj, in the exploration field located in the municipalities of Barajevo, Sopot and Voždovac.

As per their statement, the decision was made on the basis of analyzes that the company conducted intensively regarding the cost-effectiveness of continued research, environmental protection, as well as the inability to meet all conditions for obtaining the necessary permits for research and other procedural activities.

The Ministry of Mining and Energy also announced that it issued a decision today, at the request of the company Zijin, that terminates the previously given exploration rights of this company in the area of Baba - Ljuta strana on Kosmaj, in the municipalities of Barajevo, Sopot and Vozdovac, for geological research more mineral raw materials (lead, zinc, copper, silver, gold).

- The adoption of the decision by which the Ministry abolished the previously given exploration rights means that there will be no geological research on Kosmaj, nor opportunities for ore exploitation and mine opening. Exploration rights in this area were originally granted in 2012 to Balkan Exploration and Mining d.o.o. from Belgrade, confirmed under the new law in 2015, and then extended in 2017 and 2020. In the meantime, due to the change in the ownership structure of the original right holder, the investigation rights in this area were taken over by the company Serbia Zijin mining d.o.o. from Bor - the Ministry's website states.

There can be no mine on Kosmaj or Avala, Minister of Mining and Energy Zorana Mihajlovic said earlier.

- Claims that have nothing to do with the truth have appeared in public. First of all, the geological research in question was approved by the solutions from 2012, and Zijin obtained the exploration rights by buying another company. There can be no mine on Kosmaj, Avala, and not a single investor can get urban conditions in this area - the Minister said, answering questions from journalists at the conference "Serbian Economy on the Electricity Market".

She pointed out that the citizens will not have a problem due to the exploratory wells, as it is impossible to exploit without a defended study.

Yesterday, the media reported that the Ministry of Mining and Energy has given the Chinese company Zijin the right to investigate lead, zinc, silver, copper and gold at the Babe - Ljuta strana site, covering three Belgrade municipalities (Barajevo, Sopot, Vozdovac).

According to the media, this was uncovered by the social networks users from that area, who met the Zijin representatives on the ground in the past few days.

The Babe - Ljuta strana site, as stated, is currently an area of untouched nature, and opening a mine there would endanger the villages of Guberevac, Lisovic, Ravni Gaj, Karaula, Srednji Kraj, Strazarija, Glumcevo brdo, Nenadovac, Stara Lipovica, Parcani and Babe.

Ministarstvo rudarstva i energetike Republike Srbije

Serbia Zijin Copper doo Bor

Zijin

Serbia Zijin Mining doo Bor

Balkan Exploration and Mining doo Beograd

Zorana Mihajlovic

Kosmaj

Avala

Babe Ljuta strana

Guberevac

Lisovic

Ravni Gaj

Karaula

Srednji Kraj

Strazarija

Glumcevo brdo

Nenadovac

Stara Lipovica

Parcani

Baberudnik

geological research

exploratory wells

exploration rights

lead

zinc

silver

copper

gold

polymetallic mineralization