The struggle of Greek zeolite – Nikos Lygeros
The struggle for Greek zeolite is comparable to the struggle for the Greek Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) because it is a matter of national importance. We must therefore set aside local disputes and realise that the battle is not solely a matter for the courts. The crux of the matter lies elsewhere. Greek zeolite is one of our strategic reserves for the economy, just as the hydrocarbons and methane hydrates in the Greek EEZ are. zeolite, however, is more easily accessible, as it consists of surface deposits located on dry land. There are therefore no cross-border difficulties regarding its extraction in Thrace. It could also help the development of Thrace through the jobs it will create in Northern Evros, with the activation of the railway network and the port of Alexandroupoli.
Within this broader context, it can supply the whole of Greece in the fields of agriculture and livestock farming, thereby strengthening the primary sector. Through pharmaceutical formulations, it can help people and rid them of heavy metals, toxins and free radicals. Its applications in various sectors, such as chemistry, the concrete industry and the hydrocarbon industry, have placed zeolite amongst the world’s top ten innovations. And yet its use in Greece is virtually unknown, whilst here in Thrace we have a vast quantity – over 80 million tonnes of the mineral – and one of the highest-quality deposits in the world.
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