Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry Ivaylo Shotev visited one of the largest industrial investors in the country – Asarel-Medet AD.
The Executive Director of the company Mr. Nikolay Peltekov presented the new equipment in the Asarel enrichment plant. Deputy Minister Shotev got acquainted with Bulgaria’s first installation for extraction and electrolysis of cathode copper from mine water, which is an example of the circular economy.
Deputy Minister Shotev stressed that work is being done for a predictable business environment and for stability of business in Bulgaria. In his words, a company like Asarel-Medet AD, which is a leading factor for the socio-economic development of the Pazardzhik region, can serve as an example and incentive for other international companies to invest in Bulgaria.
The mining and processing complex effectively processes ores with an average copper grade of 0.26%, which is several times below the world average. This has been achieved as a result of the investments made for more than BGN 1.4 billion, invested in modern equipment, innovations, environmental protection projects, occupational health and safety, energy efficiency and human capital development.
Deputy Minister Shotev congratulated Asarel-Medet AD on its contribution to the development of the whole region. The company has created an aggregate demand for goods and services of over BGN 5 billion and created over 2,000 jobs.
Asarel-MEDET is the only Bulgarian company to participate in the European research project AGEMERA, which is exploring the possibilities for unveil the potential of Europe’s critical raw materials for the green transition.