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Ivica Talevski, Sustainability Director of SASA Mine, who was unanimously elected new President of the Macedonian Mining Association (MAR) at the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia announced development of the mining sector in accordance with the highest principles of environmental protection, support for the community and intensification of cooperation with all relevant partners.
In his speech before the members of MAR, Talevski emphasized his vision and priorities for the development of the mining sector, in order to make greater use of the potential of this industry and encourage the local and overall economic development of the country.
"The SASA mine I come from is an example of a successful business story based on responsible operation, environmental protection and building strong relationships with the community. These principles are based not only on SASA, but on the entire mining industry, and as President of MAR I will strive for this practice to be the basis for all companies operating in this sector, because there is no doubt that we all have one common goal - sustainable development. But the development of our companies and the whole industry is impossible without the simultaneous development of the community, so I will strive for this relationship to be even more visible to create a success story for both companies and citizens. At the same time, I will try to be a worthy representative of the mining sector and their "voice in society", said Talevski.
Talevski also announced a strategy and a concrete plan to strengthen the confidence in the mining industry that will be implemented in the coming period.
Mining is a significant industry branch in the national economy employing over 7,200 people. In the structure of industrial production, this branch has a share of 10.87%. The average salary in this sector is 34.2% higher than the average national salary, which is another confirmation of the importance of this sector.
SASA Mine employs about 700 people and is the largest underground ore mining mine in the country and one of the 5 largest lead and zinc mines in Europe. Since November 2017, SASA has been owned by Central Asia Metals - a specialized mining development company based in London, UK, listed on the London Stock Exchange (AIM: CAML). The company continuously implements its rich experience and latest practices in the mining industry at SASA.
SASA is the first mine in the region with an A - integrated environmental permit. In addition, the mine operates according to the most modern international management standards (ISO 9001), occupational health and safety (OHSAS 18001), environmental protection (ISO 14001) and laboratory testing (ISO 17025). SASA is among the largest exporters and among the 10 largest companies in terms of taxes paid.