UNMIK
PROVISIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF SELF-GOVERNMENT INSTITUCIONET E PĖRKOHSHMVE VETQEVERISĖSE PRIVREMENE INSTITUCIJE SAMOUPRAVLJANJA
Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning Ministria e Ambientit dhe Planifikimit Hapėsinor Ministarstvo Sredine i Prostornog Planiranja

        

10.

 Mining
   

10.1.

 Overview
   

Kosovo is rich in mineral. The main source of energy is from coal with abounds near Prishtina and are being extracted by the Electivity Company (KEK). Most other source of mineral are under the Industrial conglomerate named “Trepca” which has mines and processing installation all through Kosovo (see map below). The Mines are for the major part not functioning for technical as well as legal reasons linked to the ownership of Trepca.
   

Figure 17: Led/Zinc reserves in Kosovo

Source; ITT Kosovo consortium LTD(2001): Trepca Ore Body Assessment
   

15: Lead /Zinc and Silver Reserves

            Source

( Led-Zinc )

Reserves (t)

Average content according to the

categories: (A+B+C1/C2)

Pb (%)

Zn (%)

Ag (g/t)

Stan Tėrg

29,168,312

3,45/3,40

2,36/2,23

74/81

Melenica

915,000

10,37

11,25

84

Zijaēa

4,273,000

2,58

1,11

19

Kishnica + Artana

18,674,165

5,27/4,38

4,48/3,53

78/-

Kopaonik (Leposaviq)

5,221,833

5,88/5,48

4,04/4,61

89/65

All mines of Trepēa

58,252,310

4.23/4.10

3.15/3.11

70/-

Source; ITT Kosovo consortium LTD(2001): Trepca Ore Body Assassment
   

Figure 18: Map of Mines in Kosovo
   

Figure 19: Other Mineral Reserves

Source; ITT Kosovo consortium LTD(2001): Trepca Ore Body Assassment
   

Table 16: Other Mineral reserves

Source

 

Resserves

Of the minerals (t)

Ni (%)

Co (%)

Al2O3

(%)

SiO2

(%)

Fe2O3

(%)

Fe

(%)

Cr2O3

(%)

Ēikatovė-Magurė

(Nickel – Cobalt)

11.000.000

1,31

0,07

 

 

 

 

 

Gremnik (Voljak)

(Boksit)

2.700.000

 

 

48,00

2,50

36,00

 

 

Ēar-Sedlar

(Iron)

750.000

 

 

 

 

 

40,00

 

Tėrstenik-Carralevė-

Ivajė

(Iron)

2.500.000

0,69

 

 

 

 

45-53

3,00
 

17 : Reserves of non-metallic minerals

Source

 

Type

Reserves

 

MgO

(%)

SiO2 (%)

CaO (%)

Goleshė (Magurė)

Magnezit

1.200.000 t

46,00

1,75

1,11

Guri i bardhė (Strezoc)

Magnezit

1.600.000 t

42,50

4,30

4,40

Karaqevė (Dardanė)

Kaolinit

3.000.000 t

 

 

 

Hani i Elezit

(Ivajė + Tėrpezė)

Mergele +

lime +  Tufe

ca.

7.500.000 t

 

 

 

Han i Elezit (Mullinjtė e Palit)

Mergele

25.000.000 t

 

 

 

Ferizaj/Urosevac (“Mirosalje”)

Quartz sand

13.000.000 t

 

 

 

Lypjan (“Slovijė)

Gjakovė, Dardanė,

Landovicė, Skenderaj/Srbica,

Klinė, Ferizaj/Urosevac, Pejė,

Viti, Prishtinė

Clay (m3)

2.500.000 (m3)

 

 

 

Viti (Gushicė, Jerli-Sadovinė)

Bentonit

36.000.000 t

 

 

 

Glamė, Ēikatovė, Kroi i Mbretit, Grebnik, Babush i Muhaxhirėve, Shalė e Drenicės, Lipoglavė, etj.

Lime and dolomite

>42.000.000

(m3)

 

 

 

Voljok, Leshan, Piranė, Krushė, Pejė etc.

Sand and

Gravel

>10.000.000

(m3)

 

 

 

Source:

-          PRUTHI V. & KASTRATI S. (2002): Mineral resources of Kosovo and their use: - Scientific Conference “Consistent technical-technological development and the Environment”, Page: 33-40; Prishtina/Pristina.

-          “Trepēa” mine in Stan Tėrg.

http://www.kek-energy.com
 

10.2.

 Mining and the Environment
 

The effect on the environment of mines and mining industries in Kosovo is difficult to ascertain as little data exist since 1999. The problems are wide from hazardous material to air/soil/water pollution.
   

The Zvecan Smelter

In August 2000, UNMIK reported that in Zvecan, (north Kosovo, home to a Trepca lead smelter), tests indicated that current levels of lead exposure were approaching the most extreme in decades. Levels of atmospheric lead measured last month were around 200 times the World Health Organization's acceptable standards,

The smelter had worked sporadically since the 1999 conflict in Kosovo. However, an environmental audit ordered by UNMIK and conducted in March and April 2000, warned that it should be closed as an "unacceptable source of air pollution."
 
Six weeks after the daily smelting operations restarted in June 2000, tests of KFOR soldiers serving near the smelter revealed dramatically increased blood-lead levels.   French tests of atmospheric lead taken in June-July 2000 showed average levels of  250 micrograms per cubic meter, two-thirds higher than acceptable limits for workers' exposure in France.

Source: UNMIK Press Release