Zidani asbestos mine, Zidani, Kozani, Greece

In 1956, according to a consular report from Athens cited by the U.S. Bureau of Mines' Minerals Yearbook, "the Kennecott Copper Corp. was negotiating with the Greek Government concerning large-scale exploration of an asbestos deposit about 30 miles south of Kozani in northern Greece," and "was said to be ready to invest $6 million to develop the property if satisfactory arrangements could be made."¹³ It added that "extensive exploratory core drilling was done, and erection of a pilot mill was planned."¹³

Kennecott

For 1957 the yearbook reported that Kennecott "conducted further geological studies and diamond-drill exploration of an asbestos deposit in Kozani Province, western Macedonia," and for 1958, drawing on Mining World, that it "continued to explore and began to construct a small pilot plant" at the deposit.^5,14 For 1959 it said Kennecott's exploration "outlined a large body of fiber suitable for use in the asbestos-cement industry" and that "plans to develop the property were underway."¹⁵ In 1960 Kennecott "exercised its option to purchase the asbestos property it had explored in the Kozani area."¹ The yearbook for 1961 said that "asbestos deposits said to be the largest in Europe were being developed in northern Greece," and for 1962 that "developmental work was continued on an extensive deposit of asbestos at Kozani by Kenbestos Corp., a subsidiary of Kennecott Copper Corp."^2,16 For 1964, citing the Mining Journal, the yearbook reported that "a pilot plant was built at the deposit, but it was never placed in commercial production," and that Kennecott "sold the concession rights on the Kozani asbestos mine to the Greek state-owned Industrial Development Corporation for $20,000."³

The Greek bank and Cerro

For 1968, drawing on Industrial Minerals, the yearbook reported that the Hellenic Industrial Development Bank (HIDB) "planned to reopen the asbestos mine at Zidani Kozanis in northeastern Greece, where recent prospecting has shown the existence of 15 million tons of chrysotile-bearing ore."⁶ It said the bank planned "an open-pit mine and mill at Kozani with the capacity to produce 600,000 tons of ore annually," with a target for finished fiber "set at 25,000 tons."⁶ For 1969, citing a State Department airgram from the U.S. Embassy in Athens, the yearbook reported "a tentative agreement between Cerro Corporation of New York and Hellenic Asbestos, S.A., an operating company of Hellenic Industrial Development Bank (HIDB)," for development of the mines at Zidani Kozanis.⁴ Exploration, studies and the equipping of "an existing small pilot plant" were to be completed in 1970, and if further studies showed the project was feasible, "the mines would be put into production through establishment of a 40,000-ton-per-year capacity fiber plant."⁴ Asbestos, the industry's trade journal, reported in December 1970 that Cerro had signed an agreement "providing for further exploration of the Zidani Asbestos Mine near Kozani, Greece."¹⁷

In December 1971 the journal reported that Cerro, through its subsidiary Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece S.A. (MABEM), "completed the first phase of the project," including the "start-up of an asbestos fiber pilot plant, built under the supervision of Kilborn Engineering Ltd."⁷ The yearbook for 1971 said Cerro reported that "marketable fibers can be produced from the 50-million-ton Zindanion deposit," and that "a 1975 operation of 50,000 tons per year of fiber is proposed."⁹ For 1973 it reported that MABEM, "which is 90% owned by Cerro Corp., has finished exploration and pilot plant studies," and that "a plant with 50,000 tons per year (expandable to 1,000,000) will be started in 1974 to process the 50 million tons of ore containing 3% chrysotile of grades 4, 5, and 6."⁸ In December 1975 Asbestos gave Cerro "a 51% interest" in MABEM, with "the remaining 49%" held by the Hellenic Industrial Development Bank, and said that "a Chrysotile facility is currently operating on a pilot plant scale at Zidani."¹⁸ A year later the journal said that "Cerro Corporation no longer holds its 51% interest in MABEM."¹⁹ The yearbook for 1977 reported that "in January 1977, Cerro Corp. sold its rights in the Zindanion asbestos mines near Kozani to the Government's Hellenic Industrial Development Bank (ETVA)."²⁰

Building the mine and mill

The 1977 yearbook said the bank's own company, Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece, Mining Society Anonyme, "will carry out the Government's priority for development of the mine," that a Canadian consulting firm "was conducting site-selection tests", and that in November the company "applied formally to the Government for a $68 million investment to establish a 100,000-ton-per-year asbestos plant."²⁰ Asbestos reported in December 1977 that the bank was "to establish a joint stock company to exploit the asbestos reserves and develop a processing plant at the Zidani asbestos property," with "a 100,000-metric-tons-per-year production capacity" envisaged.²¹ "Construction for the new US$68-million, 100,000-tonnes-per-year asbestos fiber plant was begun in April 1978 at the Zindanion asbestos mines near Kozani," the journal reported; the plant, "scheduled for completion by mid-1980," would "employ 320 people," and "about 75% of the production will be exported."^22,23 The yearbook covering 1978 and 1979 said that "construction started in April of 1978 on the Zidani asbestos mine and mill near Kozani," that "initial financing is by the Government's Hellenic Industrial Development Bank (ETVA)," and that "completion of the 100,000-ton-per-year chrysotile facility is scheduled for July 1980."¹⁰

The yearbook for 1980 reported that "full-scale operation of the new Zidani chrysotile mine near Kozani was rescheduled for late 1980, with hopes that 100,000 tons can be produced in 1981," that "about 20% to 25% of the production will be used domestically," and that "grades 4, 5, 6, and 7 will be produced."¹¹ The company's chairman, Professor L. S. Moussoulos, told Asbestos that "in October 1980 the Zidani Asbestos Mine reached the contemplated capacity of handling 4-million tonnes of ore per year," and gave ore reserves "calculated at 100-million tonnes," with "65,000 tonnes anticipated for 1981, the first full year of operation."²⁴

Opening and after

According to the yearbook, "on April 17, 1981, the asbestos mill at Kozani and mine at nearby Zidani were officially opened," and "full production at a 100,000-metric-ton-per-year capacity was expected in 1981."²⁵ For 1982, drawing on the Asbestos Mining Engineering Review, it reported that "technical difficulties and other problems prevented the new 100,000-ton-per-year Zidani Mine and Kozani mill asbestos complex from reaching more than one-third of capacity," and that "at least 80% of the product was aimed at export markets."²⁶ For 1991, citing the Mining Journal, the yearbook reported that "the Northern Greece Asbestos Mines Co. in Kozani closed owing to financial difficulties," that "the work force at the mine was reduced from 380 to 250 employees, and the company was refinanced with Government backing," and that "the operation may be leased to private interests in the future."¹²

The documents report this mine producing asbestos fiber for sale.²⁶

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Location

Output the documents report

Figures as printed, in the units each document uses (short tons before about 1990, metric tons after, in most U.S. chapters). Some are a year's output, some a daily rate or a capacity, some a company's total rather than this mine's alone; the statement for that year below says which.

Year	Figure	Source
1968	25,000 tons	6
1975	50,000 tons per year of fiber	9
1981	100,000 tons	11
1981	100,000 metric tons per year	25

Year by year

Every statement about this mine in the documents, in each document's own words, by the year it is about.

1956

• Exploration: “Kennecott Copper Corp. was negotiating with the Greek Government concerning large-scale exploration of an asbestos deposit” (Kennecott Copper Corp.), p. 11¹³
• Exploration: “Extensive exploratory core drilling was done, and erection of a pilot mill was planned”, p. 12¹³
• Exploration: “was said to be ready to invest $6 million to develop the property” (Kennecott Copper Corp.), p. 12¹³

1957

• Exploration: “conducted further geological studies and diamond-drill exploration of an asbestos deposit in Kozani Province” (Kennecott Copper Corp.), p. 10¹⁴

1958

• Mill: “began to construct a small pilot plant at an asbestos deposit” (Kennecott Copper Corp.), as reported by Mining World, p. 10⁵
• Exploration: “continued to explore” (Kennecott Copper Corp.), as reported by Mining World, p. 10⁵

1959

• Reserves: “outlined a large body of fiber suitable for use in the asbestos-cement industry” (Kennecott Copper Corp.), p. 8¹⁵
• Exploration: “Plans to develop the property were underway” (Kennecott Copper Corp.), p. 8¹⁵

1960

• Ownership: “exercised its option to purchase the asbestos property it had explored in the Kozani area” (Kennecott Copper Corp.), p. 8¹

1961

• Exploration: “Asbestos deposits said to be the largest in Europe were being developed in northern Greece”, p. 10¹⁶

1962

• Exploration: “Developmental work was continued on an extensive deposit of asbestos at Kozani” (Kenbestos Corp.), p. 10²
• Ownership: “Kenbestos Corp., a subsidiary of Kennecott Copper Corp.” (Kenbestos Corp.), p. 10²

1964

• Mill: “A pilot plant was built at the deposit, but it was never placed in commercial production” (Kennecott Copper Corp.), as reported by Mining Journal (London), p. 8³
• Ownership: “sold the concession rights on the Kozani asbestos mine to the Greek state-owned Industrial Development Corporation for $20,000” (Kennecott Copper Corp.), as reported by Mining Journal (London), p. 8³

1968

• Reserves: “15 million tons of chrysotile-bearing ore” (Hellenic Industrial Development Bank (HIDB)), as reported by Industrial Minerals (London), p. 9⁶
• Mill: “an open-pit mine and mill at Kozani with the capacity to produce 600,000 tons of ore annually” (Hellenic Industrial Development Bank (HIDB)), as reported by Industrial Minerals (London), p. 9⁶
• Output: “The target for production of finished fiber has been set at 25,000 tons” (Hellenic Industrial Development Bank (HIDB)), as reported by Industrial Minerals (London), p. 9⁶
• Exploration: “planned to reopen the asbestos mine at Zidani Kozanis” (Hellenic Industrial Development Bank (HIDB)), as reported by Industrial Minerals (London), p. 9⁶

1969

• Ownership: “Hellenic Asbestos, S.A., an operating company of Hellenic Industrial Development Bank (HIDB) ... the latter's asbestos mines” (Hellenic Asbestos, S.A.), as reported by U.S. Embassy, Athens, State Department Airgram, p. 8⁴
• Exploration: “Exploration, studies, and equipping of an existing small pilot plant ... were to be completed in 1970” (Hellenic Asbestos, S.A.), as reported by U.S. Embassy, Athens, State Department Airgram, p. 8⁴
• Mill: “establishment of a 40,000-ton-per-year capacity fiber plant” (Hellenic Asbestos, S.A.), as reported by U.S. Embassy, Athens, State Department Airgram, p. 8⁴
• Exploration: “A tentative agreement between Cerro Corporation of New York and Hellenic Asbestos, S.A. ... for development” (Cerro Corporation), as reported by U.S. Embassy, Athens, State Department Airgram, p. 8⁴

1970

• Exploration: “providing for further exploration of the Zidani Asbestos Mine near Kozani” (Cerro Corporation; Hellenic Industrial Development Bank; Hellenic Asbestos S.A.), p. 20¹⁷

1971

• Mill: “completed the first phase of the project ... start-up of an asbestos fiber pilot plant” (Cerro Corporation; Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece S.A. (MABEM)), p. 10⁷
• Reserves: “the 50-million-ton Zindanion deposit” (Cerro Corp.), p. 9⁹

1973

• Exploration: “has finished exploration and pilot plant studies” (Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece Mining, S.A. (MABEM)), p. 8⁸
• Reserves: “the 50 million tons of ore containing 3% chrysotile” (Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece Mining, S.A. (MABEM)), p. 8⁸
• Ownership: “MABEM, which is 90% owned by Cerro Corp.” (Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece Mining, S.A. (MABEM)), p. 8⁸
• Mill: “A plant with 50,000 tons per year (expandable to 1,000,000) will be started in 1974” (Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece Mining, S.A. (MABEM)), p. 8⁸

1975

• Output: “A 1975 operation of 50,000 tons per year of fiber is proposed” (Cerro Corp.), p. 9⁹
• Worked: “A Chrysotile facility is currently operating on a pilot plant scale at Zidani” (Asbestos Mining Co. of Northern Greece (MABEM)), p. 50¹⁸

1976

• Ownership: “Cerro Corporation no longer holds its 51% interest in MABEM” (Asbestos Mining Company of Northern Greece (MABEM)), p. 46¹⁹

1977

• Ownership: “The Hellenic Industrial Development Bank is to establish a joint stock company to exploit the asbestos reserves and develop a processing plant at the Zidani asbestos property” (Hellenic Industrial Development Bank), p. 40²¹
• Ownership: “Cerro Corp. sold its rights in the Zindanion asbestos mines near Kozani” (Hellenic Industrial Development Bank (ETVA)), p. 9²⁰
• Description: “will carry out the Government's priority for development of the mine” (Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece, Mining Society Anonyme), p. 9²⁰
• Mill: “the firm was conducting site-selection tests”, p. 9²⁰
• Mill: “$68 million investment to establish a 100,000-ton-per-year asbestos plant” (Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece, Mining Society Anonyme), p. 9²⁰

1978

• Mill: “Construction of the new US$68-million, 100,000-tonnes-per-year asbestos fiber plant was begun in 1978 at the Zidani mine” (Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece; Mining S.A.), p. 47²³
• Description: “a possibility of Arabian investment in the mine”, p. 11¹⁰
• Fiber: “chrysotile facility”, p. 11¹⁰
• Ownership: “Initial financing is by the Government's Hellenic Industrial Development Bank (ETVA) and management, by a company under its control” (Hellenic Industrial Development Bank (ETVA)), p. 11¹⁰
• Mill: “Construction for the new US$68-million, 100,000-tonnes-per-year asbestos fiber plant was begun in April 1978 at the Zindanion asbestos mines” (Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece; Mining S.A.), p. 54²²
• Mill: “Construction started in April of 1978 on the Zidani asbestos mine and mill near Kozani”, p. 11¹⁰

1980

• Opened: “Full-scale operation of the new Zidani chrysotile mine near Kozani was rescheduled for late 1980”, p. 8¹¹
• Buyers: “About 20% to 25% of the production will be used domestically”, p. 8¹¹
• Reserves: “With ore reserves calculated at 100-million tonnes, a life span of 25 years is indicated. The deposit offers 2.63% of Chrysotile Grades 4-7” (Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece S.A.), said by Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece S.A., as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 36²⁴
• Fiber: “the new Zidani chrysotile mine”, p. 8¹¹
• Description: “Grades 4, 5, 6, and 7 will be produced with grade 4's providing 15% of the total and grade 7's 10%”, p. 8¹¹
• Mill: “Completion of the 100,000-ton-per-year chrysotile facility is scheduled for July 1980”, p. 11¹⁰
• Opened: “in October 1980 the Zidani Asbestos Mine reached the contemplated capacity of handling 4-million tonnes of ore per year” (Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece S.A.), said by Asbestos Mines of Northern Greece S.A., as reported by Asbestos (magazine), p. 36²⁴

1981

• Output: “hopes that 100,000 tons can be produced in 1981”, p. 8¹¹
• Output: “Full production at a 100,000-metric-ton-per-year capacity was expected in 1981”, p. 8²⁵
• Opened: “On April 17, 1981, the asbestos mill at Kozani and mine at nearby Zidani were officially opened”, p. 8²⁵
• Mill: “the asbestos mill at Kozani”, p. 8²⁵

1982

• Buyers: “At least 80% of the product was aimed at export markets in the Mediterranean and the Middle and Far East”, as reported by Asbestos Mining Engineering Review, p. 7²⁶
• Output: “prevented the new 100,000-ton-per-year Zidani Mine and Kozani mill asbestos complex from reaching more than one-third of capacity”, as reported by Asbestos Mining Engineering Review, p. 7²⁶

1991

• Workforce: “reduced from 380 to 250 employees” (Northern Greece Asbestos Mines Co.), as reported by Mining Journal, p. 3¹²
• Closed: “closed owing to financial difficulties” (Northern Greece Asbestos Mines Co.), as reported by Mining Journal, p. 3¹²
• Ownership: “may be leased to private interests in the future” (Northern Greece Asbestos Mines Co.), as reported by Mining Journal, p. 3¹²

In medical studies

Medical studies in our research library that name this mine, by how they concern it. A search found every one that names the mine and an AI reader sorted them; the quotation, checked word for word against the text, shows where. Those that name the mine only in passing or in a reference list are left out.

Studies of the mine’s fiber (4)

• Anastasiadou K 2007: Toxicity evaluation for the broad area of the asbestos mine of northern Greece
• Gidarakos E 2008: Investigative studies for the use of an inactive asbestos mine as a disposal site for asbestos wastes: “The inactive asbestos mine of Northern Greece (known as MABE) is located at the Zidani Region in the Kozani Prefecture (Western Macedonia)”
• Koumantakis E 2009: Asbestos pollution in an inactive mine: determination of asbestos fibers in the deposit tailings and water: “An inactive Asbestos Mine, known as MABE, is located in North Greece at the Zidani region of the Kozani Prefecture (Western Mace- donia).”
• Valavanidis A 1996: A study of the synergistic interaction of asbestos fibers with cigarette tar extracts for the generation of hydroxyl radicals in aqueous buffer solution: “Also, we used commercial Chrysotile from a Greek asbestos mine (Zidani, Northwest Greece) with long fibers.”

Other names

Documents call this mine “asbestos mine at Zidani Kozanis”, “asbestos mines at Zidani Kozanis”, “Zindanion deposit”, “Kozani deposit”, “Zidani Asbestos Mine”, “Zidani asbestos deposit”, “Zindanion asbestos mines”, “asbestos deposit about 30 miles south of Kozani”, “asbestos deposit in Koganic Province”, “Macedonian asbestos deposit”, “asbestos deposits ... in northern Greece”, “extensive deposit of asbestos at Kozani”, “Kozani asbestos mine”, “Zidani asbestos mine”, “Zidani Mine”, “Zidani chrysotile mine”, “Northern Greece Asbestos Mines Co.”.

References

1. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1960 (January 1, 1961), p. 8.
2. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1962 (January 1, 1963), p. 10.
3. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1964 (January 1, 1965), p. 8.
4. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1969 (January 1, 1970), p. 8.
5. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1958 (January 1, 1959), p. 10.
6. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1968 (January 1, 1969), p. 9.
7. Asbestos Magazine, 1971, December 1971 (December 1, 1971), p. 10.
8. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1973 (January 1, 1974), p. 8.
9. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1971 (January 1, 1972), p. 9.
10. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1978–79 (January 1, 1980), p. 11.
11. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1980 (January 1, 1981), p. 8.
12. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1991 (January 1, 1992), p. 3.
13. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1956 (January 1, 1957), pp. 11–12.
14. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1957 (January 1, 1958), p. 10.
15. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1959 (January 1, 1960), p. 8.
16. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1961 (January 1, 1962), p. 10.
17. Asbestos Magazine, 1970, December 1970 (December 1, 1970), p. 20.
18. Asbestos Magazine, 1975, December 1975 (December 1, 1975), p. 50.
19. Asbestos Magazine, 1976, December 1976 (December 1, 1976), p. 46.
20. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1977 (January 1, 1978), p. 9.
21. Asbestos Magazine, 1977, December 1977 (December 1, 1977), p. 40.
22. Asbestos Magazine, 1978, December 1978 (December 1, 1978), p. 54.
23. Asbestos Magazine, 1979, December 1979 (December 1, 1979), p. 47.
24. Asbestos Magazine, 1981, January 1981 (January 1, 1981), p. 36.
25. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1981 (January 1, 1982), p. 8.
26. Minerals Yearbook: Asbestos Chapters, 1982 (January 1, 1983), p. 7.