Residents of Rășinari Vote on Valea Dobra Mining Project
Polling stations opened in Rășinari, Sibiu County, on Sunday for a local referendum on the proposed surface mining project at Valea Dobra.
Illustration: AI-generated image
Voters in Rășinari, Sibiu County, headed to the polls on Sunday to have their say on a proposed surface mining project on Valea Dobra. Polling stations opened at 07:00 and will close at 23:00, with three sections organised for the local referendum, the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP) announced.
The vote asks residents whether they support the development of a magnesium mining operation proposed by Mineral Proiect Invest S.A. through its MPI Magnesium project. The company has estimated the mining investment at around 25 million euro and plans a quarry of about seven hectares, operating over a 20-year period.
Representatives say the proposed site is more than two kilometres from the nearest homes and that transport routes would avoid populated areas. According to the company, only rock extraction and mechanical preparation would take place in Rășinari, with no chemical processing. A separate magnesium processing plant is planned, but its location has not yet been decided.
The investor estimates the mining and processing components together could create over 100 direct jobs. However, these figures are company projections, and the project still needs to go through authorisation steps.
Rășinari, known for its pastoral traditions and tourism in the Mărginimea Sibiului area, has seen debate over the proposal. Some residents have expressed concerns about potential effects on the landscape, environment and local tourism. The company says any risks, including noise, dust, vibrations, water, soil and biodiversity, must be evaluated through technical documentation and environmental impact studies.
Before the vote, Rășinari Town Hall sent a letter on 23 October to the national authority responsible for mineral resources, asking for the draft government decision to include the Valea Dobra deposit in the state's public domain inventory to be withdrawn and reanalysed. The local administration also requested access to supporting documents and a public debate.
The referendum is a community consultation and does not by itself approve or reject a mining permit. The result will indicate the position of Rășinari residents on the project, while separate administrative and environmental procedures remain in place.
