Workers at Montenegro’s Šuplja Stijena zinc and lead mine are asking the government to arrange temporary management before its concession expires on 31 December. The mine’s trade union says the arrangement would help prevent a shutdown and protect around 200 jobs from uncertainty beginning in 2027.
On 8 November, the union unanimously backed a proposal for an interim operating arrangement if a new concession procedure cannot be completed by year-end. It would place the mine under Rudnik uglja Pljevlja, a state-owned coal producer about 30 kilometres away. Workers say the company has machinery and engineering resources that could help maintain operations while the concession process is resolved.
The existing concession is operated by Gradir Montenegro. The union’s proposal has been presented to government representatives and Rudnik uglja Pljevlja’s management, but no formal government decision authorising temporary management has been confirmed.
Tender selection annulled
Montenegro’s Ministry of Energy and Mining ran a tender covering the Šuplja Stijena, Đurđeve Vode, Paljevine and Ribnik deposits. In August, it selected MIH Metal Development, a consortium involving German, Bosnian and Cypriot companies, as preferred bidder.
The government’s concession commission later annulled that selection, finding inconsistencies between the published tender conditions and the concession framework approved by the government. The disputed requirements included rules on the minimum operating history of participating companies. The decision prevented the award from proceeding under the original tender procedure.
The union has criticised the delay in launching a replacement tender, warning that workers and the local economy cannot absorb prolonged administrative uncertainty. Union president Mladen Railić said employees want “a legally sustainable interim arrangement that protects production, employment and mine infrastructure.”
Transition also covers environmental obligations
The mine’s environmental obligations include managing tailings storage facilities. The union’s proposal says a clear transition is needed to protect employees, environmental infrastructure and the mine’s value while keeping the concession process transparent. Tailings management could become particularly sensitive if the current concession expires without a replacement operator or defined transitional arrangement.
The final commercial outcome depends on the government’s decision, the legal position of Gradir Montenegro and whether a replacement concession can be awarded without further challenges. The immediate question is whether a lawful operating arrangement can be established before the existing concession expires.
