ANCILLARY SERVICES

Boilers are used at the Chelopech mine site for domestic and heating needs. The boiler house contains two burners and uses bunker oil for fuel.

An analytical laboratory has been established with the co-operation of an internationally accredited assayer (SGS) and has ISO Certification. The laboratory services all assaying and analytical needs to support the mine, mill, exploration and environmental activities.
The company provides meals to all employees based on an allowance per day, provided for in a fully catered canteen.
The company's medical centre has all facilities required for emergency first aid and standard surgical procedures. It also houses a hospital ward and facilities for regular health inspections of employees.
The company also sponsors an English language school in Chelopech, which is accredited with nationally acclaimed standards.

Environmental Management
The company has developed an environmental management system (EMS) on the basis of the ISO 14001 international EMS standard. This was adopted as a Bulgarian National Standard in 1998.
The company has used several national and international consulting firms to prepare a series of environmental studies with the aim to prepare legal documentation for compliance with Bulgarian legislation, develop systems for managing environmental issues that would enable the company to achieve EU standards, identify environmental aspects and impacts associated with the company's activities in Chelopech, qualify and quantify costs of potential liabilities for past environmental damages, and to develop a mine closure plan.
To date, the company has developed a comprehensive EMS to facilitate achievement and maintenance of regulatory compliance, which is also designed to facilitate minimisation of the environmental impacts associated with the mining and mining-related activities at the Chelopech site, and to bolster the prevention of emergency incidents. This is accomplished through a systematic approach to measuring and monitoring environmental performance; conducting regulatory compliance audits; training; record-keeping; document control; EMS auditing; and an independent management review process.