Beside copper, gold and silver exploration and interest from big mining companies Serbia also have unexplored precious minerals reserves. Only 11 of 150 sites are researched and they are rich with jasper, agate and chalcedony but none of them is expropriated at the moment. Next to modest researches that were launched at the end of 70s of the last century, it is doubtlessly proved that exploitation of major 11 sites would be economically profitable. Opal reserves are just the peak.
Dr Zoran Miladinovic, Vice President of Geology Association of Serbia, stresses 5 regions with the richest sites of previous metals in Serbia and those are Fruska Gora, Sumadija, Zapadna Morava, Lece- Novo Brdo and Kosovo.
Opal in Sumadija
-The richest materials are silicon minerals: quartz, chalcedony, jasper and various variants of opal. The most significant site of precious minerals is Kozje brdo rich with chalcedony, agate and jaspel. The most important site of bijoux is in Zapadna Morava region in village Popin near Vrnjacka Banja and it is rich with white, blue and green jasper and jaspers with dark green parties that are placed in lower parts of mass are especially attractive- Miladinovic emphasized.
He emphasizes that the most interesting site of bijoux is in village Ramac, 8,5 km south from Strugari and opal site near Glavica mountain.
-The biggest number of sites is found in the scope of Lece complex that is placed 30 km from Leskovac, thise are sites of amethyst, agate, jasper, carneol and variously colored chalcedony- Mihajlovic says and stresses that sites on Goles are most significant in Kosovo region.
Suitable for processing
-There was found opal in different colors in several shades of brown, white, green and in form of prazopal and chrysoprase- Miladinovic explains and adds that all these sorts of jewels are suitable for processing considering attractive esthetic characteristics and they are not behind jewels from Europe and the whole world, according to the quality.
10.000 EUR required for the start
Professor Dr Vladimir Simic from Mining Geology University stress that more than 10.000 EUR is required for the beginning of precious minerals exploitation.
In order to launch precious minerals exploitation, you need to take concession and go through the same procedure like for gold or other minerals’ exploitation.
Sites of precious minerals in Serbia
-Opal Village Ramaca in Sumadija, Antina cuka near Kucevo and Goles Mountain in Kosovo
– Kozje brdo in Fruška gora, Lece in Lece region- Novo brdo i Ramaća in Šumadija
– Amethyst Lece in Lece region- Novo brdo
– Jaspis Popina near Vrnjačka Banja i Kozje brdo on Fruška gora
– Chalcedony Kozje brdo on Fruška gora and Goleš in Kosovo
– Chrysoprase Goleš in Kosovo
Source; Serbia Energy mining desk
