From Exporting Raw Materials to Domestic Industry? The Government Adopts a Strategy for Macedonia’s Minerals to 2046
The Ministry of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources announced the adoption of a strategy for geological research and sustainable use of minerals for 2026–2046, aiming to keep more value in the country.
The government adopted a strategy for geological research and sustainable use of mineral resources for 2026–2046, on the proposal of the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources, the ministry announced on October 10. The strategy was prepared with the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, with input from experts and institutions.
The resources listed are lead, zinc, copper, gold, antimony and nickel, as well as marble, travertine, granite and limestone. Priorities are better geological research to establish mineral potential and plan future investments, linking mining with domestic production, including processing capacity using modern technology, greater environmental protection, transparency and protection of the public interest, and alignment with EU policy, including the European Critical Raw Materials Act.
“The mineral wealth should be not only an object of exploitation but a driver of domestic industry” is the ministry’s message. What the statement does not publish: the size of reserves, how much money is planned, which processing plants are envisioned and by when. This is therefore a framework and an intention, not a concrete project.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · October 12, 2026
