July 2014: the beginnings of Greek zeolite – Nikos Lygeros
July 2014 is, at last, the month and year of Greek zeolite. After a long-standing campaign for Greek zeolite, we are now seeing the first tangible results. The Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Climate Change has given its approval for the technical study into the exploration of industrial minerals, specifically zeolite, covering an area of 99,161 stremmata at the ‘KOKKALO’ site in Petroto, in the municipality of Orestiada, Evros Prefecture, by the company ‘OLYMPOS S.A.’ in accordance with the provisions of Law 669/77. This authorisation was granted on the instructions of the Deputy Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Asimakis Papageorgiou, who had been briefed on the properties and characteristics of zeolite and on the potential of Greek zeolitein October 2013 within the framework of Greece’s strategic reserves. Thus, from that moment onwards, he was in possession of all the necessary information to proceed with the matter of zeolite. He is now the head of the Directorate that signed off on this approval. The most significant aspect of this decision is that Greece is officially commencing exploration for zeolite, followed by the extraction that the Greek people have been awaiting for years. This new phase will have a range of economic implications and will, of course, stimulate new activities in our region of Thrace. Thus, Greek zeolite will become an integral part of our lives, helping both the agricultural and livestock sectors through the improvements and increased production made possible by its strategic use.