Social, economic and environmental impacts of gold mining in Halkidiki

In December 2003, the assets of the Cassandra Mines (N.E. Halkidiki, Greece) of TVX HELLAS S.A., were transferred by law, ratified by the Greek Parliament, to the Greek State for 11 million euros. They were sold the same day to HELLAS GOLD S.A. for the same price without prior economic assessment of the assets and without an open competition [19]. The assets include mining and exploration concessions covering 317 square kilometers, 310 homes, 11,000 square meters of urban land, 2.5 square kilometers of land, 30,000 square meters of offices and industrial buildings, 2 underground mines with shafts and underground tunnels, pumping systems, two oretreatment plants, vehicles and mine machinery.