The first export of pure copper cathodes from the Skouriotissa and Apliki mines after five years of inactivity has been announced by Stelios Michail, Director of the Geological Survey Department, at a conference organised last week in Nicosia.
The conference, held under the auspices of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Minister Maria Panagiotou, was organised by the Geological Survey Department and the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB) on the theme: “The Mining Industry in Today’s Cyprus – Green Development, Recycling, Modern Perception and Technology”.
During the conference proceedings, the contribution and importance of Cyprus’s mining activity were highlighted. As emphasised, the mining industry has been and continues to be one of the most important pillars of the island’s economic and technical development, with a history spanning from antiquity to the present day.
Mineral extraction and exports have contributed decisively to strengthening the local and national economy, creating jobs and developing Cyprus’s industry and technology, according to a statement from the Agriculture Ministry.
Particular emphasis was placed on the prospects for green development of the sector through modern technologies, innovation, and with a high sense of environmental responsibility at the extraction and restoration stages. With state support and targeted policies, a favourable environment can be created that will enhance sustainable sector development and social progress.
In her opening address, read on her behalf by Environment General Directorate Director General Iliana Tofa, Agriculture Minister Panagiotou emphasised that the mining sector remains today one of the basic pillars of Cypriot economic development, with a critical role in the country’s green and digital transition.
The value of mineral resources is further enhanced through modern geopolitical and technological developments that make their sustainable and responsible utilisation imperative, she noted.
Director Michail emphasised that organising the conference was necessary following the establishment of the European Critical Raw Materials Regulation, giving particular weight to the Service’s role as a One-Stop Shop for accelerating related licensing procedures.
He also announced the first export of pure copper cathodes from the Skouriotissa and Apliki mines after five years of inactivity, noting this is a project applying innovative hydrometallurgical techniques with environmental responsibility.
(information from CNA)
