List of useful minerals of national importance extended

Seven types of substances have been included in the list of useful minerals of national importance under a Government Decision. These are: petroleum, natural gas, limestone, clay for making cement, plaster for making plaster articles and cement, sand for making glass, grit for making veneer, granite for making gravel, drinking and technical water (deposits of more than 50,000 cubic meters/24 hours for centralized water supply) and curative mineral waters (deposits of more than 300 cubic meters/24 hours), Info-Prim Neo reports. Minister of the Environment Gheorghe Salaru said the given list was compiled in accordance with the Subsoil Law adopted in 2009. These substances are of major importance to the country’s economy. Under Article 60 of the Law, the Government can set export quotas on mineral raw material and limit the extracted quantities. “The petroleum and natural gas are of national importance for all the countries. The list includes the granite, which is the only source in Moldova for making gravel, and the plaster deposit in Criva. The reserve plaster deposit in Drepcauti is now not exploited as it has been flooded. The list does not contain the industrial waters with a high contest of iodine, bromine and some rare metals discovered in southern Moldova. But they could become of national importance when the extraction technologies are improved,” Gheorghe Salaru said.