The local initiative “Both Health and Work” believes that the public debate on the Ilovica-Shtuka Copper Mine project has been held hostage to fears, speculation and misinformation for too long, instead of scientific facts, modern technologies and institutional procedures.
Today, modern mining has nothing in common with the practices of the past. The technologies applied in the most developed countries provide a high level of environmental protection and significantly reduce potential risks.
The Ilovica-Shtuka project envisages the application of the Dry Stack Tailings technology – dry tailings disposal, which is recognized as one of the most modern solutions in the mining industry. This means that a classic hydro-tailings facility with a dam is not envisaged, but filtered tailings with a minimum water content, which reduces the risks associated with the storage of mining waste.
In addition, the project envisages systems for management, control and monitoring of surface and groundwater, as well as measures for their protection in accordance with legal requirements and environmental standards. Therefore, if the project meets all the prescribed conditions and receives the necessary approvals from the competent institutions, there is no reason to reject its implementation in advance.
