Montenegrin Energy Ministry plans to resume production at the idled Berane coal mine and will conduct an economic analysis as soon as possible to decide on the optimal option for achieving this goal.
There are significant reserves of coal at the mine owned by Serbia-registered mining and steel company Metalfer and exploitation and production can begin in four to six months after the final decision is made, Metalfer director Branko Zecevic said at a meeting with energy minister Sasa Mujovic, according to a press release issued by the ministry.
Restarting production at the Berane coal mine implies new investments and strategic partners, so the government needs to first assess the existing and potential production capacities to decide on the next steps, Mujovic noted.
The mine in Berane, located in northeastern Montenegro, has estimated coal reserves of 150 million tonnes and a maximum output capacity of 250,000 tonnes per year. Metalfer suspended production at the mine in March 2020 due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
