National Agency of Natural Resources INVEST IN ALBANIAN NATURAL RESOURCES MINERAL RESOURCES www.akbn.gov.al Mineral Resources in ALBANIA National Agency of Natural Resources CONTENTS Message from the Executive Director 5 I.ALBANIA OVERVIEW 6 II. MINERAL RESOURCES IN ALBANIA 8 II.1. A General Overview in Mining Industry 9 II.2. Licensing 9 II.3. Concessions 11 II.4. Mining Potential of Albania 11 II.4. 1. Chrome 13 II.4. 2. Copper 14 II.4. 3. Iron-Nickel and Nickel-Silicate 14 II.4. 4. Coal 15 II.4. 5. Peats (turfs) 16 II.4. 6. Natural Bitumen and Bituminous Substances 16 II.4. 7. Non-Metalliferous Minerals 16 II.5. Development of the Mining Industry in Albania 19 III. PERSPECTIVE ZONES 20 IV. LEGISLATION 23 Mineral Resources in ALBANIA MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR National Agency of Natural Resources DearNational Agency business of Natural Resources partners! (AKBN) in August 2010 celebrates its fourth birthday with a very satisfactory record work and achievements. AKBN has added value to the work and programmes of all its partner institutions. After years of solid growth, Albanian natural resources remain a stabilizing factor in 2010, in the current worldwide economic climate and the National Agency of Natural Resources as the main governmental adviser for mining, hydrocarbon, hydropower and renewable energies issues and promoter of Albanian natural resources wealth has its big responsibilities. Based on Albanian state legislation, the Albanian Government stimulates and encourages all the interior and foreign investors, interested for investments in mining industry, hydroenergetic, hydrocarbon and renewable energies field. Invest in the Albanian Natural Resources! • Get advantage from the Albanian natural resources! • Get advantage from a new, simple and facilitating legal framework! • Get advantage from the Albanian geographical position! • Profit from a new modernized infrastructure! Trust in an exploding economy! Taulant Musabelliu Mineral Resources in ALBANIA I. ALBANIA OVERVIEW National Agency of Natural Resources Peninsula with the Adriatic coast. The Adriatic lbania is located in south-western part Sea and Otranto Strait stand in-between of Balkans peninsula, Southeast Europe. The Albania and Italy. Acountry is linked with the rest of the world via land, sea and air routes. Albania is a Parliamentary Republic The two main ports are located in Durres and Characterized by a distinct mountainous Vlora. landscape, the average altitude of Albania is 700 meters above the sea. Based on the Mother Theresa Civil Airport is based in structure, composition and shape of the Rinas, 25 km from the capital city. landscape, four physical-geographic zones are distinguished: Alps, Central Mountainous The Capital City of Albania is Tirana since Region, Southern Mountainous Region and 1920, with an estimate population of Western Lowland. The highest peaks are 1,000,000 inhabitants. Tirana is also the those in the Alps and the Eastern Mountains major administrative commercial centre of (Korabi 2751 m) and the lowest peaks are the country. located in the western coast area. Official language is Albanian. The landscape is intersected by the valleys of Vjosa, Devoll, Osum, Shkumbin, Erzen, Borders Mat and Drin rivers, eastward and westward, The border via land is 720 km long, 287 which enable the connection of Adriatic Sea km out of which are shared with Serbia, with the internal part of the country and the Montenegro and the Republic of Kosovo in Balkans north and northwest of the country, 151 km east with the Republic of Macedonia and Albania lies in the Mediterranean climatic 282 km south and southeast with Greece. zone, characterized by a hot dry summer, The coastline of the country is 362 km long. strong sunshine and generally mild winter with abundant rainfalls. Annual average Population rainfall is 1430 mm. About 3,5 million inhabitants (source: INSTAT). Albania is estimated to be a country Situated along the Adriatic and Ionian sea with a relatively young population. coast, Albania constitute one of the key points of intersection for the roads crossing the Western Mediterranean into the Balkans and Little Asia. Albania ensures via sea route the connection with other world countries and that of the central regions of the Balkans Mineral Resources in ALBANIA II. MINERAL RESOURCES IN ALBANIA National Agency of Natural Resources Albania is distinguished for its mineral the transition from an economically resources. Most of them have been centralized type of operation into one based discovered and exploited from ancient on the free market. In 1994 has been times up to date. There are also other approved the Mining Law of Albania. resources pending for further research and study. Licensing A General Overview in The licensing process initiated in 1994, upon Mining Industry approval of the Albanian Mining Law. Up to December 15.10.2009, there were Albania is a country with rich mineral issued 832 mining permits out of which were resources. Mineral exploration, exploitation 680 exploitation permits. and processing constitute a key component of the Albanian economy, due to a traditional Out of a total of 832 mining permits, 262 mining industry, that has been a solid permits have been issued for chrome, 37 foundation to the country economic sector, permits for iron-nickel and nickel-silicate, generating substantial revenues. Chrome, 282 permits for limestone, 15 permits for copper, iron-nickel and coal, are some of the marble limestone, 18 permits for copper, minerals mined and treated in Albania. 5 permits for coal, 2 permits for bauxite, 5 permits for quartz, 11 permits for gypsum Mining industry development in Albania has alabaster, 35 permits for clay, 39 permits passed through three main stages: for limestone tiles, 26 permits for sandstone The first stage includes the period up to the and 2 permits for plagiogranite. end of World War II. It has been marked by two important events. In 1922, has been The rest of exploitation licenses includes Figure 1 The map of compiled the first Geological Map of Albania, stones, like fractured limestones, quartz Albania with mining permits according to the districts which was even the first of its kind in the sands, sandstones, schistes, bituminous Balkans. In 1929 has been approved the first sands and gravels, basalts, ultra basic rocks, Mining Law of the Albanian Kingdom, which etc. paved the way to the exploration and/or exploitation of mineral resources in Albania; Distribution of mining permits per district and The second stage (1944-1994), marks the annum is illustrated by the Fig.1 and charts period when the mining activity has been 1, 2, below. organized in state-owned enterprises; The third stage includes the period from 1994 up to date, during which, it is enabled 0 Mineral Resources in ALBANIA Chart 1 Chart 2 120 No. Permits No. Permits 10 14 20 40 60 80 12 18 10 14 16 0 Number of the mining permits according to thedistricts to oftheminingpermitsaccording Number 20 40 60 80 0 0 Mining permits according to theyears to Miningpermitsaccording 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 Bulqizë 2 44 Berati 3 1995 6 Delvina 13 Devoll 15 1996 15 Dibra Durrësi 8 22 Elbasani 1997 2 10 Fier 13 Gjirokastra 14 1998 6 Hasi 18 Kavaja 43 1999 31 Korça Kolonja 3 66 50 2000 Kruja 23 Kuksi 13 2001 41 Kurbini 19 Lezha 41 2002 26 Librazhdi 3 3 Lushnja 2003 50 Malësi e Madhe Mallakastra 2 28 2004 64 Mati 32 Mirdita Peqin 1 69 2005 12 Përmeti 32 Pogradeci 40 2006 19 Puka 23 Saranda 10 2007 16 7 Shkodra 31 Skrapari 17 2008 8 5 Tepelena 47 Tirana 38 13 2009 Tropoja 8 33 Vlora Ye ar s National Agency of Natural Resources Concessions Mining Potential of Albania In 1995, it was approved the Law “On Through many studies carried out by all Concessions”. Concessions on chrome, proper institutions and services in Albania, copper, iron-nickel and bitumen have during the last 50 years, a detailed mapping been given in respect of that law, mainly with relative mineral compositions is now involving those parts of the mining industry, available. which required overall investments in prospecting, exploration, exploitation and/or reorganization of the processing industry. There are given on concession: • Chrome’s mines of Bulqiza, Katjel, Pojska Chrome • Copper’s mines of Lak Rosh dhe Karmë • Bitum’s mine of Selenica 36.9min tons 11 Mineral Resources in ALBANIA No. Minerals Composition 1 2 3 1. Chromite Cr2O3 (18-42)% 2. Iron-Nickel Fe 42.3%; Ni 0.98%; SiO2 12.8%; Co 0.063%; Fe 18.3%; Ni 1.3%; Níckel-Silicate SiO2 36.9%; Co 0.043% 3. Copper Cu (1.3-2.5)% 4. Coal 3200 KCal/Kg 5. Peats (Turfs) 2907 KCal/Kg, moisture 11.3%, ashes 30%, S 1.1% 6. Natural Bitumen (4.41-9.73)%, rarely 11.94% bitumen 7. Bituminous sands (8-10)% bitumen 8. Bituminous coal 3500-7500 KCal/Kg 9. Pyrobitumens 2000-3000 KCal/Kg, C (78-80.6)% 10. Titanomagnetites TiO2 6%; Fe2O3 18%; V2O5 0.2-0.5% 11. Bauxite Al2O3 (40-50)%; SiO2 13%; Fe2O3 (7.8-18.6)%; TiO2 2.1%; CaO 2.4% 12. Barite CaO (36-38)%; MgO (73-77)%; SiO2 (1.9-2.6)%; Fe2O3 (2.1-3.5)% 13. Mergele CaO (0.03-0.35)%; MgO (18-28)%; SiO2 (1.5-4.9)%; Fe2O3 (0.41-1.5)% 14. Trepele Cu 0.25-1.035; Zn 0.15-0.89%; Pb 0.15-0.29%; Au 0.39gr/t; Ag 6.5 gr/t; S 12% 15 Polymetals Al2O3 17.74%; SiO2 71.2%; Na2O 3.47%; K2O 4.42% 16. Feldspat + albitophyres S - 2-51% 17. Fluorite 18. Sulphur 1 2 3 19.