Geological potential of antimony, bauxite, fluorite, and magnesite of the Central Dinarides (Bosnia and Herzegovina): exploration and exploitation perspective

Abstract

This paper presents the critical raw materials (CRM) potential of antimony, bauxite, fluorite, and magnesite deposits in Bosnia and Herzegovina, discusses their metallogeny and joint geological features, and explains the methodology of the InvestRM application and evaluation criteria for the selected commodities in the following steps: (1) preparation of the geological data templates, (2) evaluation and verification of the geological data, (3) ranking of deposits according to the geological data relating to quality and quantity, and (4) identification of the 10+ perspective deposits. Existing geological datasets show the existence of significant potential in primary CRM such as bauxite (56 Mt), magnesite (4 Mt), and antimony (0.2 Mt) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The geological settings of BiH provide favourable metallogenetic conditions primarily for bauxite and magnesite deposits but also for antimony within polymetallic deposits, while fluorspar is rather rare. Our methodology described herein led to the selection of the following fourteen deposits for further geological prospection and investment: the polymetallic antimony deposits Čemernica and Podhrusanj, antimony fields Srebrenica and Rupice; magnesite fields Kladanj, Banja Luka, Teslić and Novi Šeher and bauxite regions Vlasenica-Srebrenica, Grmeč Mountain deposits in Una-Sana region and South Bosnia regions from Posušje to Trebinje. A basic economic calculation based on the world producer ranking and a self-sustainability and economic contribution assessment shows that further investments in geological exploration and mining of antimony, magnesite, and bauxite CRM could place BiH on the list of important producers of these commodities in Europe.