Mineral processing investment proposals submitted to post-lignite plan

Seven, possibly eight, investment proposals, for the construction of industrial plants to process raw minerals in northern Greece’s west Macedonia region into building and industrial materials, have been submitted to a committee overseeing the Just Transition Plan for lignite-dependent areas, energypress sources have informed.

An abundance of mineral deposits in the region, combined with incentives being legislated, are attracting the interest of enterprises active in the aforementioned domains.

Greece’s Just Transition Plan was published by the energy ministry earlier this month for public consultation until October 31.

Mineral deposits in the area include rock crystal, used to produce industrial glass, bricks, porcelain and colours; nickel, whose uses include reinforcing the durability of defense weapons and tanks; chromite, an iron chromium oxide; huntite, most commonly used as a natural mixture with hydromagnesite to produce a fire retardant additive for polymers; and attapulgite, its uses including mortar restoration.

Just Transition Plan objectives include the development of an industrial zone in the west Macedonia region that could host processing facilities for these mineral deposits in the post-lignite era.