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Pursuant to the Law on Environment of North Macedonia, after determining and inspecting the fulfillment of the necessary conditions for obtaining an environmental permit provided by the laws and bylaws, the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning issued an integrated pollution prevention and control permit for the copper mine “Borov Dol” DOOEL Radovish. 

An IPPC permit is in accordance with the established standards for environmental protection, which includes working conditions, duties, measures and activities that should be taken into account for environmental protection, based on the use of the best available techniques. The permit identifies and describes all installation activities covered by the permit. It regulates the work of the mine in the field of environmental protection, as well as monitoring the development of the best available techniques that are relevant to the operation of the mine and the requirements regarding the environmental standards to be established, applied and maintained, in order to reduce the negative impacts on the environment. 

“Environmental protection is one of our top priorities throughout the whole life cycle of the mine. The Borov Dol mine respects global and national environmental regulations and laws, and is designed and developed to compare mining activities using the best available methods in industrial production, in order to ensure minimal environmental impact and sustainable use of natural resources,”  said Pavlo Krivinsky, General Manager of Borov Dol. 

The mines Bucim and Borov Dol are announcing an open call for participants in the new digital scholarship program for young talents. The program is run in North Macedonia, Ukraine and Guatemala as a part of the partnership of the mines’ parent company Solway Investment Group with the world-renowned Salzburg Festival.

The updated format of the program @creative.fellowship talent showcase is a continuation of the previous youth talent initiative implemented in North Macedonia since 2017.  This year the initiative exptends its geograficacl reach and welcomes talented candidates from Radovish, Konce and Stip to apply for participation. 

In 2021, in response to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the organizers embraced recent trends and completely redesigned the previous version of the program, adopting informal and vocational education through the prism of art and new technologies to create a new interactive program attuned to the digital age. Operation will be implemented through the integration of such communication tools as Zoom, WhatsApp, Miro, and Notion, also using the additional resources of Instagram and TikTok. 

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and global travel restrictions the probability of visiting opera camps in Slazburg in undefined. Therefore, the organizers set the target to bring the opera camp experience to the talents virtually. 

The 2021 year participants will have the opportunity to be the pioneers of the new digitalized format of the program. In addition to English classes, the @creative.fellowship showcase curriculum also features Art Academy, a series of interactive arts and crafts activities aimed at exploring the differences and similarities between the cultures It will also include a three-week music and dance residence run online under the supervision of the Salzburg Festival’s youth program experts. This new addition to the program allows participants to connect with top art professionals who will share their experiences and encourage young people to be the best at what they do.

The 2021 Creative Fellowship gives a unique opportunity to young talents of 14 – 17 years old, to showcase their extraordinary talents and participate in a major international performance project. The program aims to encourage younger generations to develop their potential, work with fellows from different cultures and teaches them cooperation, critical thinking, problem solving and English language skills through arts and creativity.  

Creative youngsters from Stip, Radovish and Konce who are currently developing their skills in music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, designing, videomaking or photographing or any other cereativity are welcome to submit their applications and take part in the in the international online showcase. Participation and good performance in the classes will be rewarded with official certificates of completion from the accredited language school and  iTunes University. Those highly motivated with good results in attendance and academic performance will have a chance to go on an eventful weekend trip with friends to Skopje.  

Only one candidate from those who will choose to continue participating in the program to the end and would take part in the 5 week music and dance virtual residence run online under the supervision of the Salzburg Festival’s youth program experts will have a chance to be awarded with the personalized trip to Salzburg. The trip will  include individual training with one of the mentors from the scholarship program of the Salzburg Festival (in the event of travel restrictions, the activity will be postponed or will take place online).

2020 was a challenge for the program. Pandemic realities and lockdowns forced its transformation into an online education platform and began a new chapter. 2020 winners will have their promised journey to Salzburg when international travel becomes possible again, and any of the former participants are welcome to join the new showcase.

Digitalization of the program substantially increases the number of youth and adults who have an opportunity to learn technical and vocational skills, hopefully leading to better future employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. The program offers participants tools such as computer literacy, networking, and English language tutoring.

The call is open till February 8, 2021.

For more detailed information on the project and the application procedures, including the application forms, please visit: https://solwaygroup.com/musiccamp/?lang=mk

Preparations are underway to start testing and adjust the primary ore crushing unit and conveyor belt. 

The conveyor belt, 7 km long, is the main transport line that directly connects the supply of ore from the Borov Dol warehouse to the ore storage facility of Bucim. The conveyor belt system is sophisticated engineering solution, made according to world standards, which will transport the crushed ore from the Borov Dol mine to the processing facilities of Bucim. 

“The ore conveyor belt and the primary ore crushing plant will soon be put into testing. All activities for the imminent commissioning of the new copper mine are in the final phase and we are working intensively on the upcoming start of operation of the mine,” said Pavlo Krivinsky, General Manager of Borov Dol. 

In the concession area of ​​the mine Borov Dol, activities for exploitation of copper ore will be performed, and the further processing of the ore will take place in the flotation plant of Bucim.

In its long existence, the Bucim mine, as a socially responsible company, has approved numerous sponsorships and donations to a number of civil society organizations and state institutions, and will continue to do so in the future within its capabilities.

This year, over 1,000 New Year’s packages were given to the kindergarten “Aco Karamanov” in Radovish, the kindergarten “12th of July” in Konce, the children of the employees in the mines Bucim and Borov Dol, the children living in the Emanuel orphanage, to the children of the members of the association of persons with physical disability  Mobilnost – Radovish and to the children in Poraka day care center for people with disabilities. Bucim and Borov Dol mines also donated New Year’s packages to the Municipal Red Cross – Radovish and the to the Kudret Jasham Derneghi Turkish Association for humanitarian cultural activitie.

Donations during the holiday season, which have already become a tradition of the compnay, aim to bring smiles and joy to the youngest and to cheer up the Christmas holidays to children. 

“Christmas holidays are moments when we have joy, peace, when we have love and gifts. For the little ones, these small gifts are of great importance, because without them the holidays are not complete and we try to make the holidays beautiful for everyone, “said Nikoljacho Nikolov, Deputy General Manager of Bucim. 

“It is important to beautify the holidays for children who are most important for any society and to bring  smiles on their faces at this time of year,” added Pavlo Krivinsky, General Manager of Borov Dol. 

Bucim and Borov Dol once again showed their social responsibility in action and took a step further by helping upgrade the preschool education facilities in the municipality of Konche.

The value of the total donation is €9,120, of which €3,450 were provided by Bucim mine. These funds were used to purchase five inverter air conditioners. Borov Dol contributed €5,670; this money was used to install an energy-efficient heating system of pellets.

These donations to the kindergarten “12th of July”, an important center of preschool education, help provide all the necessary conditions for a modern, safe and carefree stay in the kindergarten for the youngest residents of the municipality of Konce. Last year, Bucim mine donated funds that completely renovated and fenced the kindergarten’s garden. 

“The best investment is an investment in the future, and that is the children. I am glad that we have improved the conditions in the kindergarten and provided the children with preschool education in a modern, energy-efficient space, both for the current generations and for many others who will follow,” said Nikoljacho Nikolov, Deputy General Director of Bucim.

“Our activities are always for the benefit of society and we strive to address issues that are of common concern. We will install a heating system that will provide warmer premises for the children on cold winter days,” added Pavlo Krivinsky, General Manager of Borov Dol.

The Municipality of Radovish, on the occasion of the Liberation Day, November 6, upon the 76th anniversary of the liberation of Radovish, awarded Bucim mine with a prize for special its contributions towards the city’s development.

On the city holiday, the municipality of Radovish awarded the prestigious “6^th of  November” prizes to Bucim General Manager, Vasily Borutsky, and Deputy General Manager, Nikolajcho Nikolov, who through their dedicated work, long-term cooperation, and investment in the community have made a positive impact on the development of the municipality of Radovish.

“Bucim mine supports the local community and society as a whole. Social responsibility is the foundation of all of our activities, and is an integral part of every segment of our operations. Through continuous support, we strive to improve the quality of life for both present and future generations,” added Vasily Borutsky, Bucim General Manager.

“We have been continuously investing in the local community since the first year of the relaunch of Bucim mine’s operations. We seek to have a positive impact on the development of society to ensure a more prosperous future for all. We are proud to accept this award and especially happy that the community in which we operate recognizes our commitment. This is yet another incentive to continue our activities which contribute to the development of society,” added Nikolajcho Nikolov, Deputy General Manager of Bucim.

Bucim and Borov Dol mines have donated €8,400 worth of modern ICT equipment to students and primary schools in Radovish, Konce, v. Oraovica and v. Injevo to ensure the smooth functioning of the education system in the emergencies and conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as local schools move towards online learning. 

In order to help students and schools cope as successfully as possible with the present situation, Borov Dol procured tablets and internet connections for students from socially disadvantaged families at the Goce Delcev primary school in the municipality of Konce. Bucim donated computer equipment for the needs of the primary schools: Krste Petkov Misirkov in Radovish, Cyril and Methodius in v. Oraovica, and Orce Nikolov in v. Injevo.

With these donations, the mines are helping to make distance learning possible for all families and for students to be able to attend online classes during this academic year.

“Supporting education is part of our social policy, and we are constantly investing in the development of this area, in order to help young people receive an education, provide support to schools whenever they need it, especially now during the corona crisis when help is most needed,” said Nikoljacho Nikolov, Deputy General Manager, Bucim.

“Education is important for the development of society. We recognize the importance of support and cooperation with our society, and consciously identify the areas we need to focus on. Taking into account the changes in the curriculum, and that there are students who lack the digital devices and internet access necessary to participate in online teaching, we have provided these solutions in order for online school to operate smoothly and ensure equal learning conditions for all children,” said Pavlo Krivinsky, General Manager of Borov Dol.

The copper mine Bucim DOO Radovish was awarded an IPPC permit from the Ministry of the Environment and Physical Planning after having met these requirements with its operational plan. 

Receipt of this permit confirms that the Bucim mine is in full compliance with all local and global best practices. The mine is dedicated to complying with and following the state’s requirements for environmental standards, and is prepared to take all necessary measures to minimize the impact of its operations on the environment.

The award of the permit is a result of implementation of the mine’s operational plan and application of the highest standards for environmental protection which the mine will continue to apply in the future. This environmental permit covers and lists all working conditions of the mine in order to maintain the highest level of control over any possible negative impact of the company’s operations on the environment. The operating conditions of the mine are determined and assessed by Macedonian legislation, from the best available work processes, the monitoring process, control of the production process, waste management, to the closure and conservation of the installation.

“The IPPC permit is a confirmation of our efforts and investments in the field of environmental protection, compliance with best practices, and also a guarantee that we will continue to apply the highest standards for environmental protection,” said Nikoljacho Nikolov, Deputy General Director of Bucim.

The new copper mine, Borov Dol Radovish, donated funds to a new municipal road construction project currently in the development stage. The project aims to completely reconstruct the local road that connects the villages of Gabrevci, Dolni Lipovikj and Gorni Lipovikj with Konce. 

Reconstruction of the existing local road infrastructure in the municipality of Konce will be economically beneficial for the region as it will facilitate both the transport of goods and services and growing social connections between the villages and the Konce. Modernization of the road infrastructure will also enable easier and safer travel for the population living and working in this area of the municipality. 

“Supporting projects that improve the economic prospects and the quality of life of the citizens in the municipalities in which we operate is an important component of our social policy. Society is dependent on the road infrastructure, and supporting the economic growth of our local communities is a common interest,” added Pavlo Krivinsky, General Manager of Borov Dol.

During 1H 2020, Bucim processed 2.2 million tonnes of ore (106% of 1H 2019), with copper content of 0.166 % (85% vs. quality of ore processed in 1H 2019), gold content of 0.151 g/t (52% vs. quality of ore processed in 1H of 2019). This corresponded to 14,603 tonnes of dry copper concentrate from ore raw materials (90% of 1H 2019 volume), containing 3,066 tonnes of copper (90% of 1H 2019 volume), 170 kg of gold (48 % of 1H 2019 volume), and 442 kg of silver (95% of 1H 2019 volume). During 1H 2020, Bucim’s SX/EW plant produced 335 tonnes of cathode copper of 99.99% quality (95 % of 1H 2019 volume).

The company achieved a positive financial result for 1H of 2020: a pre-tax profit of €4.7 million (47% vs. comparable figure for 1H of 2019). Bucim paid an advance taxes to the budget of North Macedonia in the amount of €858,000.  The company paid concession fees of €447,000 for the use of mineral resources in 1H of 2020, 78% of which was paid into the budget of the municipality of Radovish and 22% into the federal government budget.

The average monthly wage during 1H 2020 was €547 (102% compared to 1H of 2019).

Expenditures on socially responsible programs reached €30,000 during 1H of 2020 (the same amount as in 1H 2019). The Bucim mine provided financial support for the development of young musical talents and athletes, cultural programs, schools, kindergartens, sports clubs and healthcare institutions.

In addition, in order to support North Macedonia’s fight against Covid-19, Bucim donated €40,000 to the special donor account the Ministry of Health, €10,000 to the local health centers in the municipalities of Radovish, Shtip and Strumica, and €5,000 to the Red Cross of Radovish to support socially disadvantaged families from the municipalities of Radovish and Konce in order to help them better cope with the new reality caused by the Covid-19 outbreak. In addition to the financial assistance, the mine donated 650 medical protective masks for the needs of the local institutions in the municipality of Radovish and 150 protective suits to the Clinical Hospital in Stip.

During 1H 2020, €66,000 were invested in occupational safety and health (87% vs. 1H 2019) including the cost of employee PPE, hygiene products, certification of technical equipment, technical inspections of equipment, fire prevention measures, employee medical examinations, purchases of safety materials, staff training, and measurement of microclimate conditions in the workplace.

During the first half of 2020, in order to manage the threat of coronavirus, the mine took a series of increased measures to protect the health and safety of its employees. The precautions are fully observed, and personal hygiene and protective products are regularly procured. €7,271 were spent for the purchase of hygiene items, protective masks and gloves during the first half of 2020.

The costs for repairs and maintenance of technological equipment in the first half of 2020 amounted to €1.6 million (94% vs. 1H of 2019). This includes overhauls of the flotation plant and ongoing maintenance performed on the leaching plant and surface pit.

During 1H 2020, investments to support production capacity (procurement of equipment, machinery, construction, etc.) reached €502,000 (134% vs. 1H 2019).

A total of €52,400 were invested (175% vs. 1H 2019) in environmental protection programs, such as re-cultivation of the dam of the tailing dump in the required area, environmental monitoring services – including both surface and groundwater, atmospheric air, environmental noise, industrial emissions and discharges, and waste management services, as well as environmental third party audits and assessments. During 1H 2020, Bucim successfully passed all of its inspections by the state environmental authorities. 

During the first half of this year, Bucim confirmed its compliance with international ISO standards by successfully passing an internal annual audit to confirm the company’s compliance with the international ISO standards 9001, 14001, and 45001. The auditors confirmed that there was no disagreement nor any non-compliance with the requirements of these standards, and that the mine operates consciously and responsibly in accordance with international best practices.

The copper mine Bucim DOO Radovish marked 1H 2020 with the completion of exploitation of the mineral resources from the Chukar 2 ore body, in accordance with Bucim’s annual production plan. During 2H 2020, in order to ensure continuity in the production process and optimal utilization of the copper ore in Bucim, mineral raw materials will be exploited from the North-East 2 ore body which contains proven other quantities of mineral reserves. The ore reserves from the North-East 2 ore body will ensure the exploitation and processing of mineral resources and the smooth operation of the Bucim mine until the start of production at the Borov Dol mine.

Borov Dol’s development

During 1H 2020, the company focused entirely on meeting its targets for launching production at Borov Dol, which will extend the life of the existing Bucim project.

The situation arising from Covid-19 resulted in a change to the construction schedule for the facilities, and a delay to the planned start of the production at Borov Dol. In the schedule for the construction of the main technological facilities, there has been a delay of three months. This is due to the restrictions imposed during 1H 2020 (introduction of a curfew, restrictions on movement, self-isolation of workers and closed borders for foreign equipment suppliers). Given the current state and dynamics of construction, the Borov Dol mine plans to start production in December 2020.

During the reporting period, the Borov Dol mine continued with construction of the main technological facilities and started with construction of the infrastructure facilities. These were realized in the following volumes: conveyor line – 70%; power lines of 20 kV – 95%; primary crushing facility and a closed ore warehouse – 90%; infrastructure facilities – 35% .

Total investments in the Borov Dol project during 1H of 2020 reached €15.3 million (compared to €8.1 million during 1H 2019).

During 1H 2020, Borov Dol invested a total of €7.2 million in purchases of necessary equipment (compared to €2.5 million during 1H 2019), €2.1 million for construction work, and €4.9 million for excavation of the ore body (compared to €5.2 million during 1H 2019).

During the first half of 2020, Borov Dol continued with earth excavation work, during which 4.6 million tons of rock material were excavated (compared to 6.6 million tons in 1H 2019).

During 1H 2020, Borov Dol invested €119,200 in the areas of occupational safety and health, environmental protection initiatives, and socially responsible practices. Borov Dol provided financial support for cultural and historical initiatives and development of infrastructure projects in the local municipalities of Radovish and Konce.  In addition to regular environmental monitoring and biodiversity monitoring, Borov Dol placed bird nests around the concession area to preserve biodiversity in the local area. Preparation of documentation for submitting an application for obtaining an A-integrated environmental permit has begun.

During 1H 2020, Borov Dol paid an average monthly gross salary paid per employee of €1,069 (an increase of 5.8% vs. 1H 2019).