Walter G. Steblez

“ Precious metals (gold, silver, palladium, and platinum) were found mainly in association with such base metals as copper, lead, and zinc. Industrial minerals are represented by a broad range of carbonate and silicate rocks, clays, gravels and sands, and volcanic material. Mineral fuels included coal (lignite) , natural gas, and petroleum.
Until the early 1990s, the mining, processing, and downstream exploitation of base metals established the region as a major European source of copper, lead, and zinc and a major world producer of chromite. ”

“ In 1999, the net value of imports of gold (nonmonetary) , metal ores and scrap, and iron and steel increased by 70%, 11.5%, and 1.2%, respectively. Net imports of industrial mineral goods rose by about 5.7%. With respect to mineral fuels, the combined net import value of coal, coal briquettes, and coke increased by about 63%, but that of crude and refined petroleum declined by about 17% compared with those of 1998 (Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, 2000, p. 390-391) . ”

“ Slovenia's minerals industry produced a modest range and minor quantities of mineral commodities that included coal, natural gas, petroleum, and a variety of industrial minerals. The country relied heavily on imports of fossil fuels, ferrous and nonferrous ores and metals, and other mining and quarrying products. ”

“ Mineral deposits that traditionally are associated with Albania include chromite, copper ore, and nickeliferous iron ore, as well as natural gas and petroleum. In 2000, with the exception of nickeliferous iron ore, these deposits and such other minerals as bauxite, phosphate rock, dolomite, gypsum, and marble have been intermittently worked. Only chromite, copper, gas, and oil, which are minerals of major commercial importance, have shown sustained exploitation. ”

“ The value of output levels attained in 2000 in the mineral fuels branch showed increases of 8%, 11%, and 6% for coal, oil and gas, and oil derivatives, respectively; iron and steel, industrial (nonmetallic) minerals, and nonferrous metals branches recorded 152%, 38%, and 7% increases in output, respectively, compared with 1999 production levels (Serbia and Montenegro Federal Statistical Office, 2001, p. 4) . A comparison of output with prewar mineral production levels achieved in 1998, however, underscores a far less than full recovery. ”

“ To help achieve the latter, Balkcem, which had acquired 86.4% of USJE's shares in 1998, planned to discontinue USJE's production of asbestos and asbestos cement in 2001 (Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, 2000) .
Coal and petroleum constituted about 52% and 15%, respectively, of total fuel sources at electric power generators. Most coal (lignite) was from domestic mining; however, all natural gas and petroleum had to be imported. Major foreign investment in the energy sector was accomplished in late 1999 with the purchase of OKTA A.D., Macedonia's sole petroleum refinery. ”

“ In 2000, salient activities in the steel industry included the addition of a new automated quality inspection line at INEXA Store Ltd., which was valued at $1.2 million. [1] INEXA also planned to modernize the plant's rolling mills. SZ Jeklo Store d.o.o. was privatized in 1999 and acquired by INEXA Group of Sweden. Additionally, a new forging line was added at the SZ Ravne d.o.o. steel mill ”