“Miner's Day is a good occasion to look beyond the holiday to what lies ahead for the Bulgarian mineral and raw materials industry. The world is changing, and with it the value of the resources we have. It is becoming increasingly important to know the real potential and how we can use it wisely, so that the resources bring value to the economy and security to the country.“
With these words, the Minister of Energy Iva Petrova addressed the participants in the national celebration of Miner's Day. Minister Petrova and Deputy Minister Dr. Lyubomira Gancheva were special guests at the event, organized by the Bulgarian Chamber of Mining and Geology.
“The natural connection between the Ministry of Energy and the mineral resources sector is rooted in our responsibility for the management of subsoil resources and for the creation of a policy that allows resources to be explored, developed and used sustainably“, said Iva Petrova in her welcome address.
According to her, one of the important tasks is to develop a working program for the exploration and assessment of Bulgaria's potential for strategic and critical raw materials, including rare earth metals, as part of the policy for resource and energy independence.
Minister Petrova also said that exploration for new deposits and opportunities for the concomitant extraction of high value-added products are encouraged.
“In the East Marija Coalfield basin, for example, an initial geological analysis and assessment of the economic potential for the extraction of rare earth elements is already being carried out. 120 out of a total of 400 samples have been processed, covering three of the 10 drillings carried out. The Bulgarian Energy Holding, together with our partners from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the University of North Dakota, is assessing the possibilities for the extraction of germanium, gallium and modern carbon materials such as graphite, graphene and fertilizers.“
In her speech, Minister Petrova placed special emphasis on the phased digitalization of the National Geological Fund: “By December 2029, over 15,000 geological reports will be processed. We are also working on a digitalized information system for managing concession activities in the Ministry of Energy, reviewing existing concession contracts and preparing mechanisms for optimizing concession revenues for the state budget.
But modern mining policy cannot be separated from energy security. That is why we are updating the National Action Plan for Risks in the Electricity Sector and the National Scientific Program “Critical and Strategic Raw Materials for Green Transition and Sustainable Development“.
Iva Petrova was categorical that mining areas should not remain outside of economic life after mining is over. There are already new terrains for which the necessary procedures have been carried out and which can be prepared for sustainable investments.
„This is a process of real transformation from utilized mining and abandoned terrains to areas for new economic activities, new investments and new employment.“
„On today's holiday, I would like to give the necessary recognition to the profession that gives so much to the Bulgarian economy and to look ahead - to a more modern, better managed and more competitive industry“, concluded Minister Petrova in her greeting.
Within the event, the Minister of Energy and Deputy Minister Gancheva presented awards to prominent companies and individuals from the mineral and raw materials industry.
An award for contribution to the development of institutional cooperation was presented to Eng. Stanislav Stankov, Director of the Directorate “Natural resources, concessions and control“ in the Ministry of Energy.