FBiH inspection reports address Vares lead contamination concerns and mining impact

Documentation from the FBiH Urban Planning and Environmental Inspectorate confirms that the mine operator is adhering to prescribed protection measures to mitigate environmental impact. These established protocols include covering machinery during movement, road wetting to suppress dust, and utilizing a fully enclosed ore storage facility. Furthermore, the ore transport system from storage to the processing plant is completely sealed to prevent atmospheric emissions.

Despite these compliance findings, inspectors have mandated an extraordinary control measurement of dust emissions at the crusher plant. This test must be conducted at full technological capacity with active sprinkler systems to evaluate the effectiveness of dust suppression and the potential for particulate matter to reach residential areas. The administration emphasized that at this stage, a causal link between mining activities and soil contamination cannot be established, particularly as high metal concentrations were recorded before current exploitation began.

The FUZIP report references an Environmental Impact Study from September 2019, which identified lead concentrations at the Tisovci site as high as 3,419 mg/kg. At that time, these levels were attributed to the activities of an old ore processing plant and natural metal migration. Regarding air quality, measurements from 2025 indicated exceedances of PM2.5 particles at Semizova Ponikva, yet these locations remain significantly outside the operator’s exploitation field and legal environmental permit zone.

A critical complication in the investigation involves discrepancies in medical data. FUZIP discovered that the laboratory used by the local population and the laboratory testing DPM Metals workers employ inconsistent measuring units and reference values for blood lead levels. Consequently, a request has been submitted to the Federal Ministry of Health to urgently define a standardized valid measurement unit and reference value applicable within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

While residents continue to seek definitive answers after private testing confirmed lead presence in all 85 tested citizens, some requiring immediate clinical therapy, the inspection services maintain that the complexity of the case requires inter-institutional cooperation. FUZIP remains committed to monitoring the situation and implementing administrative measures within its jurisdiction to ensure the protection of public health and the environment.