January 2024

Geostroy has commenced the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) on the territory of Ellatzite mine. The start date was celebrated with a symbolic groundbreaking and water blessing ceremony. The project is part of the measures set out in the programme of the investor Ellatzite-Med for protecting and restoring the environment in the region of Ellatzite deposit and GEOTECHMIN GROUP’s strategy for improving water quality in the area where Ellatzite-Med operates.

The new WWTP will consist of modular units located in close proximity to the existing WWTP applying a technology of the Japanese company MMTEC. The new plant will adopt an innovative technology of EnviroChemie, Germany, which offers a sustainable and efficient solution for purification of pollutants from more than one source at the same time. Dr Maria Natcheva-Schwartz, Country Director at EnviroChemie GmbH Branch Bulgaria, said that it had taken two years’ joint surveys and analyses with teams from Geotechmin OOD, Ellatzite-Med AD and Geoproject EOOD before deciding which would be the best solution for the region.

The new facility is expected to be put into operation in 2025. It will provide better protection of the River Malak Iskar and its water resources in accordance with all legal requirements. This is the fourth WWTP to be built in Ellatzite-Med, and Geostroy has been the building contractor on three of them.

‘We are marking the commencement of a project, part of our investment programme and the Group’s long-term strategy, by which we are aiming to achieve higher standards in environmental protection. Being a socially responsible company, Ellatzite-Med has invested and will continue investing in cleaner environment projects. Water management is our primary responsibility,’ said the Director of Ellatzite Mine Complex M.Eng. Vasil Shishkov.

M.Eng. Aleksandar Grigorov, Director of Environment and Water Department at the company, explained that the new plant will apply a wastewater treatment technology for highly efficient mechanical and chemical purification of contaminated mine effluents. ‘With this project, we have reaffirmed our commitment to adhering to environmental water standards and protecting the waters of the Negarshtitsa and Malak Iskar rivers,’ he said.

The Mayor of Etropole Municipality M.Eng. Vladimir Aleksandrov congratulated the Group’s management team for their responsibility to protect the environment. ‘I am so glad that a 3rd wastewater treatment plant is going to be built on the territory of Etropole Municipality. Not many mayors of municipalities where mining operations are performed can boast of having so modern wastewater treatment plants. As Mayor, I am really proud of that.’ The Mayor wished lots of success to the company in implementing its investment programme and the construction of the new facility.

On behalf of GEOTECHMIN GROUP, the event was attended by Prof. DSc. Eng. Tzolo Voutov – President of Geotechmin OOD, PhD Eng. Ivan Vutov – Vice President of Geotechmin OOD and Chairman of Board of Directors of Geotrading AD, M.Eng. Dragomir Draganov – Executive Director of Ellatzite-Med AD, Mr Dominic Hamers – Executive Director of Geotechmin OOD, Mrs Emilia Ilieva – Executive Director of Geotraiding AD, the Executive Directors of Geostroy AD M.Eng. Tsvetoslav Petkov and M.Eng. Yordan Yonov, M.Eng. Ivaylo Stanev – Manager of Geoproject EOOD, and other senior managers from the Group.