Turkish company Esan plans to invest $43 million (40.3 million euro) in exploring and extracting lead, zinc, silver and gold from several locations in Kosovo, the economic development ministry said on Wednesday.
This investment project will create 410 jobs in Kosovo, the ministry said in a statement citing officials of the Turkish company.
According to Pristina-based media Ekonomia Online, Esan officials said the investment could reach $117 million if reserves exceed 20,000 tonnes.
Esan is present in Kosovo since 2010. In 2015 and 2016 it drilled in the Prapashtica and Bellaqica zones. Now it is interested in drilling in Karaqa and Gumnishta, in northern Kosovo, as well as in Bresalci, in the east of the country. The company expects to find lead, zinc and silver in Gumnishta, and gold and lead in Bresalci.
“We have two exploration licences and plan to continue exploration in three more zones,” Esan’s director Serpil Demirel said.
Esan, which was established in 1942, is based in Istanbul. It is one of the leading producer and exporter of feldspar, quartz, kaolin, ball clay, bentonite, halloysite, zinc and lead concentrate in Turkey. It operates nine mines in Turkey. Last year it exported mineral products worth over $200 million.
Source: seenews
