Tuzla Canton in Bosnia and Herzegovina has revised its draft long-term spatial plan to remove proposed mining and exploration areas for lithium, boron, magnesium, copper, nickel and cobalt following opposition from residents and environmental organisations. The amended plan covers the 2025–2045 period and excludes designated mining and exploration areas in parts of Srebrenik, Čelić, Lukavac, Živinice, Banovići and Gračanica. The changes are contained in a document issued by the cantonal ministry responsible for spatial planning and environmental protection, according to local reporting.
Exploration areas removed from the draft plan
The original spatial-plan draft, adopted in May 2025, designated thousands of hectares as potential areas for mineral exploration. Opponents of the proposed activities said some of the designated territory included productive agricultural land or areas located near drinking-water sources.
Local assemblies in several affected municipalities subsequently adopted declarations or decisions opposing the proposed mining and exploration activities. The opposition campaign was coordinated by the Karton Revolucija movement, with technical support from Sarajevo-based ACT Foundation.
Cantonal approval still required
The revised spatial-plan document has not yet taken legal effect. It must be approved by the Tuzla Canton government and assembly before the proposed exclusions become effective. Until those approvals are completed, the removal of the exploration and mining designations remains a proposed planning change rather than a final prohibition. The revision affects areas that had been identified for potential development of lithium, boron, magnesium, copper, nickel and cobalt projects, reducing the territory available for such activities under the draft spatial framework.
Implications for mineral exploration
Bosnia and Herzegovina has attracted increasing exploration interest because of its base-metal deposits and potential critical raw-material resources. The country’s mining development environment also involves fragmented permitting responsibilities, multiple levels of government and growing opposition at the local level, factors that can affect the progression and cost of mineral projects.
The removal of the proposed areas from the Tuzla Canton spatial plan could restrict concessions from progressing before companies undertake detailed exploration. Any subsequent attempt to restore the areas to the planning framework would require a new process involving cantonal institutions and affected municipalities.
