In this era of high-tech mining, we are developing sustainable, environmentally friendly and safe mining operations through ore mining and processing from the Asarel deposit.
We set a global benchmark in the mining industry for technological efficiency and mineral resource utilization; our current results would have been unimaginable when we began our journey over half a century ago. Today, we successfully process copper ores with a very low average copper grade of 0.27% Cu, achieving recovery rates exceeding 92%. This success is driven by the dedication of our staff and mining specialists, combined with large-scale investments in machinery, technologies and innovations from leading global manufacturers. Since the beginning of the 21st century, we have invested approximately 1 billion Euro across our seven corporate sustainable development programs covering operational modernization, digital transformation, quality assurance, mineral resource base development, energy efficiency, environmental protection, occupational safety, human capital development and corporate growth.
We operate the first conveyorhaulage systems for ore and waste in the Bulgarian mining industry. We take pride in possessing Europe’s most modern solvent extraction and electrowinning facility for copper cathodes and state-of-the-art ore processing equipment. We pioneered digital transformation by introducing the first automated production process control systems among Bulgarian mining companies and we continue investing in new automated systems for precision process control. Our policy of participating in international sientific research projects provide our team with early access to future mining technologies and enhance our expertise.
Asarel-Medet JSC is a modern mining company with a European face, a Bulgarian heart, and the spirit of Panagyurishte. We take pride in our innovative technologies and automated digital solutions, while acknowledging that people play a key role in the success of modern business.
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Our Business
We are the biggest employer in the municipality of Panagyurishte and stand out on the map of the Bulgarian industry as the first Bulgarian company which developd modern copper ore mining and processing operations.
We mine and process up to 15 million tonnes of copper ore annually from the Asarel deposit near Panagyurishte and thus producing approximately half of the country's copper flotation concentrate. We set an example of the circular economy by producing high-purity copper cathodes through a facility that extracts and recovers copper from copper pregnant solutions.
As a representative of socially responsible Bulgarian business, we address global challenges regarding the optimal utilization of natural resources and the long-term sustainable development of existing deposits.
Asarel accounts for over 50% of the commercial output generated by non-financial enterprises in the Panagyurishte Municipality, over 30% of the jobs in the municipality's business sector, over 80% of the corporate income tax paid to the state budget by local enterprises, and over 39% of the municipality's total budget revenue.
Our company is the largest employer in the Panagyurishte Municipality. Our team unites nearly 1,100 workers and specialists alongside 1,100 people employed by the subsidiaries and joint ventures of the Asarel Group, while our business generates an additional 6,400 jobs within the operations of our suppliers and partners that serve the company.
Operations
In this era of new mining technologies, we efficiently process ores with a very low average copper grade, around 0.27%, achieving a 92% recovery rate at our concentrator plant. We produce copper flotation concentrate (often referred to as "black copper") with a 22% copper grade; this is subsequently processed at the Aurubis Bulgaria smelter in the nearby town of Pirdop. We mine over 40 million tonnes of material from the Asarel mine on an annual basis with copper ore accounting for up to 15 million tonnes of that total.
The company also produces copper cathodes from copper pregnant solutions with 99.99% Cu purity via its solvent extraction and electrowinning plant which is a paragon of the circular economy in action.
Products
We produce copper flotation concentrate with a 22% copper grade which is processed at the Aurubis Bulgaria smelter the nearby town of Pirdop. The company also produces copper cathodes from copper pregnant solutions with 99.99% Cu purity via its solvent extraction and electrowinning plant which operates based on technology manufactured by Outotec.
Technologies
We meet the rising demand for copper in the green economy era through next-generation mining equipment, automated systems, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility. The company employs state-of-the-art digital technologies for automated control, geological modeling, and mine planning. Following a long journey of investment in modernization and successful development, our mining complex today operates with equipment from leading global manufacturers and automated systems from major technology giants.
We have set new standards for efficiency and environmental protection by introducing the first conveyor haulage systems for ore and waste in the Bulgarian mining industry and by establishing Europe’s most advanced solvent extraction and electrowinning plant for copper cathodes.
We paved the way for digital transformation by implementing the first automated production control systems at the Asarel mine enabling us to continue investing in long-term sustainable development and the well-being of society.
The Journey of Copper
Copper has played a vital role in human development from the dawn of civilization through the era of technological breakthroughs to the present day. Being the 29th element of the Periodic Table, it was the first metal used for manufacturing articles in ancient times. Distinguished by its excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, copper is utilized across all spheres of modern life, as well as in green energy and digital technologies.
The journey of copper begins with a piece of ore and leads to electric cables, electric vehicles, smartphones, computers, wind turbines, and solar facilities. It all starts with geological discovery and precise planning for the copper deposit mining. At our company, this process is handled by the Mine Engineering Department, which utilizes a 3D geological model of the Asarel mine, manages a unique system for monitoring slope stability and operates the Balkans' first integrated digital model that consolidates geological data, deposit's hydrogeology and the drilling and blasting operations system. We mine ore by open-pit method at the Asarel mine where an automated system monitors slope stability. Drilling, blasting, and loading and hauling operations are carried out using mining equipment from leading global manufacturers, while process management is overseen by an automated dispatch system. The volume of mined rock material which contains no valuable component is more than double that of the ore itself. Known as waste, this material is transported to waste dumps, and its extraction significantly impacts production costs.
Ore processing takes place at the Asarel Concentrator Plant, where copper is recovered via flotation. The technological process is controlled from a central dispatch console using an automated process control system. This yields a copper flotation concentrate with a 22% copper grade, which is then sent for further processing to the nearby metallurgical plant in Pirdop. Additionally, using Finnish technology at the solvent extraction and electrowinning plant, we produce pure copper cathodes with a 99.99% purity level.
Environmental care and the rehabilitation of mining sites also form integral parts of the "copper journey"—a path that begins with the work of geologists and the labor of miners, ultimately connecting to the lives of people today.
Technologies
The Mine Engineering Department utilizes a modern industrial drone in its operations. The geologists maintain a 3D model of the mine and an integrated geological and hydrogeological model of the deposit.
Drilling at the Asarel mine is performed with high-performance Driltech and Caterpillar rigs, while Atlas Copco hydraulic drill rigs are used for auxiliary tasks. An integrated Datamine information system has been implemented, enabling highly precise positioning of the drill rigs through its link to the mine's geological model.
Controlled industrial blasting is performed to fragment the ore-bearing rock mass. This is achieved using water-resistant emulsion explosives and a non-electric initiation system manufactured by our partners, Orica Med. The site operates the Balkans' first remote blasting control system, ensuring state-of-the-art safety for the process.
Our automated Wenco dispatch system monitors all operational processes at the mine—from optimizing machinery transport routes, haul truck payloads and work plan fulfillment to tracking tire pressure on vehicles equipped with on-board computers. The mining fleet consists of equipment manufactured by leading global manufacturers, including Liebherr and Komatsu electric shovels, Caterpillar wheel loaders, and 130-tonne BelAZ haul trucks. This modernization ensures high standards of environmental sustainability and operational safety and enhanced comfort for the operators of these giant mining machines. 
The Asarel mine was the first in the Bulgarian mining industry to implement a conveyor haulage system for mined material. We now operate two cyclic-continuous transport lines for ore and overburden, with capacities of respectively 3,000 and 5,000 tonnes per hour. These systems reduce haulage distances and deliver significant environmental benefits by reducing carbon emissions from mining vehicles by 40%.
The ore is processed at the modernized Asarel concentrator plant which impresses with its immense scale. The technological process is managed from a central dispatch control room via an automated Siemens system that oversees all operations within the continuous operations cycle.
Primary crushing takes place in the Coarse Crushing Sector (Primary Crushing Sector), while autogenous grinding and size-based separation continue in the Disintegration Sector (AG Sector). The Medium and Fine Crushing Sector (Secondary and Tertiary Crushing Sector), where Metso cone crushers operate and vibrating screens separate the material into three fractions. The finest grinding of the ore, reducing it to a flour-like consistency, takes place in the Ball Mill Area. The plant operates ten ball mills; the latest of these is the largest in the Balkans and the first in Europe to feature an expert automated system.
Ore ground to a particle size of 0.1 mm enters the Flotation Area where copper is extracted as copper concentrate. Flotation Section One utilizes 46 flotation cells manufactured by the Finnish company Outotec, eight of which have a volume of 160 cubic meters. Flotation Section Two houses the first 160-cubic-meter Wemco flotation cells in the Northern Hemisphere, alongside Wemco and Denver cells for the cleaner and scavenger stages.
The copper concentrate is thickened and filtered to achieve a copper grade of 22%. This yields the so-called "black copper," which is the company's primary product and serves as a commodity for the smelters in the region.
Solvent Extraction and Electrowinning Plant
Copper cathodes of 99.99% purity are produced at our Solvent Extraction and Electrowinning Plant whichh is the most modern of its kind in Europe. Copper pregnant solutions from the mine are processed into a market-ready product using Finnish equipment and technology, serving as a paragon of the circular economy and the full utilization of resources. The adjacent leach waste dump is an example of a mining waste facility that undergoes progressive rehabilitation while still in operation.
Water and Waste Management
Waste from the concentrator plant in the form of cycloned tailings is stored at the Lyulyakovitsa tailings dam. The dam wall is constructed by an upstream hydraulic filling method and its stability is monitored via an instrumentation and measurement system.
Asarel operates three treatment plants for mine water, drainage water, and domestic wastewater featuring an integrated management system controlled by Siemens automation technology.
Industrial water for the concentrator plant circulates entirely within a closed-loop system with the grid of pumping stations managed via an automated control panel.
Rehabilitation
Asarel offers a unique example of the rehabilitation of older, exhausted benches at an active mining waste facility. Exhausted levels of the Lyulyakovitsa tailings dam are also being progressively restored. The company annually sets aside provisions for the full rehabilitation of mining sites following the eventual mine closure.
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Apart from mining specialists, the company employs professionals from a wide range of other fields—maintenance engineers, energy supply and energy efficiency specialists, automation and IT engineers, laboratory chemists, civil engineers, project managers, environmental specialists, and experts in occupational health and safety, procurement and logistics, accounting, finance, human resources, communications, emergency rescue, healthcare, among others.