Recent media reports suggest that the Rogozna area could hold the largest gold vein in Europe. However, exploration of this region is not new; it has been ongoing for decades. Initially conducted by the former Geological Institute, exploration has continued over the past ten years through private foreign companies granted exploration rights by Serbia’s Ministry of Mining and Energy.
Predrag Mijatović, deputy director of the Geological Survey of Serbia, explained in an interview with New Economy that earlier investigations by Geozavod, funded by the state, identified the area as having “polymetallic mineralization” including copper, silver, gold, lead and zinc. These findings indicated that Rogozna was a promising site for further research. Research efforts were paused during the 1990s but resumed in the 2000s with foreign companies taking over.
According to Mijatović, the results of these recent explorations are not publicly available; only the Ministry and the companies have access to them as companies are required to submit annual reports. Although Australian company Strickland Metals recently announced exploration in Rogozna, claiming a first-time sampling of high-quality gold skarn at Šanac, Mijatović cautions that the true extent of gold deposits will only be known once the research is completed and a reserve study is submitted to the Ministry.
The largest gold mine globally is in the United States, producing 93.8 tons of gold annually, while the tenth largest, located in Australia, produces approximately 21.8 tons per year. For Rogozna to be developed into a mine, the exploration results must be reviewed and approved by a committee, which will then lead to further design, environmental impact studies, and eventual mining operations.
In Serbia, the ore exploration process requires companies to obtain an “exploration right” from the Ministry of Mining and Energy. This process includes submitting a geological research project that must meet conditions set by the Institute for Nature Protection and the Institute for the Protection of Monuments. Without these approvals, the Ministry will not accept the project.
Exploration rights are granted for areas no larger than 100 square kilometers. The environmental impact of the research is minimal, involving small-diameter drilling that does not cause significant damage, according to Mijatović.
