The Agency for Spatial Planning and Urbanism of the Republic of Serbia has made a decision to prepare a Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA) for the Spatial Plan of the special purpose area of the “Čoka Rakita” mining deposit in the Crni Vrh region.
The decision to prepare the SEIA is an integral part of the decision to develop the Spatial Plan.
The SEIA will cover the area of the Spatial Plan, which includes parts of the Žagubica municipality territory, specifically parts of the cadastral municipalities of Laznica – Selište and Žagubica.
The assessment will consider issues related to the protection of air, water, soil, wildlife, and nature. It will include an overview of the environmental status in the area of the Spatial Plan, development alternatives for the planned area, a description of measures to prevent and limit negative impacts, and to enhance positive environmental effects.
The Agency for Spatial Planning and Urbanism is responsible for preparing the SEIA, and the funds for its preparation will be provided by Crni Vrh Resources LLC, based in Belgrade.
It is important to note that the Canadian company Dundee Precious Metals, which holds exploration permits for gold and other metals in the Žagubica region, published a feasibility study in late December last year. The study indicates that the Čoka Rakita mine could be opened in the second half of 2028.
According to the study, mine construction is expected to start in mid-2026, with initial capital investments for the mine and the processing of gold and other metals estimated at around 380 million USD. The operational life of the mine is projected to last for 10 years, during which an estimated 1.2 million ounces of gold (about 34 tons) will be extracted.
