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Text of report by Serbian newspaper Politika website on 13 November
[Article by Slobodan Kljakic: "War for Kosmet Mineral Deposits"]
Avrupa Minerals, a global US mineral prospecting corporation, was recently "pleased to announce" that it was beginning drilling in Kosovska Kamenica near Gnjilane.
In early February 2010, they also began prospecting for silver, lead, and zinc on four locations in the Kosovska Mitrovica area, since this is "Europe's most highly productive lead and zinc region." They are prospecting for copper at Rezanj.
The Wall Street Journal reported in July of this year that an envoy of world financial mogul George Soros had visited Kosmet [Kosovo-Metohija] five times last year, accompanied by Albanian billionaire Sahit Muja, with whom Soros wants to mine Kosmet's lignite, the deposits of which are estimated to be worth in excess of $300 billion.
Both Muja, executive director of the Albanian Minerals Corporation, and Soros have in mind more than coal - they have an eye also on lead, chrome, zinc, gold, silver, copper, nickel, and other minerals, The Wall Street Journal said.
1. Belo Brdo: Lead, Zinc; 2. Koprice: Lead, Zinc; 3. Bajgora: Asbestos; 4. Stari Trg: Lead, Zinc, Vanadium; 5. Obilic: Kosovo A and B Thermoelectric Power Plant; 6. Ajvalija: Lead, Zinc; 7. Badovac: Zinc, Lead; 8. Strezovce: Magnesite; 9. Novo Brdo: Lead; 10. Glogovac: Nickel;_11. Istok Spa (Pec Spa); 12. Volujak: Bauxite; 13. Zatric: Chromium; 14. Deva: Chromium; 15. D. Grabovac, V. Belacevac, Crkvena Vodica, Krusevac: Coal; 16. Magura: Magnesite; 17. Klokot Spa; 18. G. Kacarevo: Kaolin; 19. Coal deposit.
In 2009, the Serbian Energy Ministry estimated at 1.5bn dollars the value of the Serbian state's illegally confiscated property in the energy sector in Kosmet. Back then, Tanjug was told at the ministry that the "property would be worth up to 100 billion euros if one took into account the prospect of future earnings from mining the fuel and turning it into electricity."
Who is the better informed about Kosmet's mineral deposits,...