Euromax Resources, the concessionaire of the Ilovica Štuk mine, presented the economic benefits and environmental and health measures as part of the mine project to some 200 inhabitants of the municipalities of Bosilevo and Novo Selo. Euromax continues to hold informative meetings with the inhabitants of the two municipalities in order to reach an agreement on the opening of the Ilovica-Štuk mine, the company said.
At the meeting held in Strumica, the inhabitants of the villages Ilovica, Stuka, Ednokukevo, Sušica, Radovo, Zubovo, Turnovo, Novo Selo and Sekirnik attended the meeting, and were informed about the potentials of the Ilovica-Štuk mine.
The attendees were interested in the environmental measures foreseen by the project, the possible impact of the mines and infrastructure on the villages, and the project’s economic impacts. Special interest was shown in the jobs created by the mine, and training and education opportunities for highly qualified positions.
“I am pleased that we have established a constructive communication with the population. We were impressed by the large number of people at the yesterday’s meeting. Their number was considerably higher than planned. They have shown great interest in our project and the benefits it brings. We want to explain that their opinion is of great importance for the success of the project. We will continue to maintain open communication with the population, non-governmental organizations and institutions in Macedonia,” said Varšan Gokul, Executive Director of Euromax. He added that the company is working on implementing the points agreed at a meeting in July.
At the meeting, it was emphasized that the design of the mine took into account environmental protection and human health.
“This design was prepared by local and international experts and professors and is fully in line with Macedonian laws, best practices, as well as European and international standards,” the company said and reiterated that there will be no use of cyanide and sulfuric acid.
A special presentation was dedicated to the type and method of using explosives in the mine. Euromax claims that there will be no pollution of the environment and water, that dust will be controlled along all roads and that constant air and water quality monitoring will be conducted, as well as that the appropriate geo-textile membrane for the water disposal site will be applied, together with dam stability measures and maximum water utilization during the flotation process.
Euromax invited all stakeholders, including civil society organizations to come and get familiar with the potential mine.
Source: vecer.mk