By obtaining the corresponding permit Bucim DOO indicates their commitment to follow strict discharge and emission limits and adhere to the agreed operational plan for compliance to all the environmental standards defined and signed by both – the local Ministry of Environment and the Company.
Dozvola-A is an integrated environmental permit for exploiting the cathode copper plant. The process of receiving Dozvola-A indicates the alignment of the Macedonian environmental law with the EU regulations. The permit was issued by the National environmental authority and represents the Operational Permit similar to the IPPC (Integrated Pollution, Prevention and Control) License in EU.
The cathode copper plant features the environmentally friendly, state of the art solvent extraction electro winning (SXEW) process designed to improve water management and produce copper from the mine drainage waters. The process leaches copper out of the oxide ore and waste rock (heap leaching), which is then processed using the electro-winning process to produce up to 2800 tonnes of cathode copper per year.
Dozvola-A was issued to Bucim DOO after a number of necessary environmental procedures were completed in 2018, including modernization and construction of the ground water monitoring wells. Monitoring stations are located downgrade of the SXEW plant and supplementary reservoirs to monitor environmental media quality.
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Since 2015 Bucim has acquired integrated permits on mine operation including open-pit, tailing damp and the ore-processing plant operation.
In 2012 Bucim constructed the SXEW facility to improve water management and produce copper from the mine drainage waters. The completion of the SXEW plant was the key part of the implementation of the water management plan – a system of several dams and isolated reservoirs has been connected to the SXEW facility to capture, collect and treat all potentially contaminated water. Corresponding environmental impact assessment (including the stakeholder engagement phase) was submitted by State Authority in 2011.