Baltic States – CIS, Industry, Lithuania, Markets and Companies

Back in late August 2014, the Ministry of Environment said that it would soon invite for tenders for detailed exploration of amber deposits in the Curonian Lagoon. Minister Kestutis Treciokas says that industrial digging of this valuable mineral has been prompted by the closed amber market from the neighbouring Kaliningrad.

Head of the Lithuanian Geological Survey Jonas Statkunas says that mining operations could start already in 2015. At the moment, the service has only completed fragmentary exploration of potential deposits and is now preparing for tenders.

"Several companies have contacted us so we had to react. At the moment, we are considering a 84.4 ha body in Juodkrante village which presumably has around 112 tonnes of amber," he said, adding that businessmen would pay about LTL 7 million (EUR 2 million) of taxes for 100 tonnes of mined amber.