Bidders Revealed for Antimony Exploration Rights in Chios

Today, March 13, 2025, the sealed envelopes of interest declarations are being opened as part of the competition organized by the Ministry of Energy for exploration rights in the Public Mining Area on the island of Chios. The focus is on antimony, a metal believed to be abundant on the island and highly sought after due to its use in modern technologies such as photovoltaics. The price of this specific metal has surged significantly in recent years, reaching near-historic highs. This development comes as the EU encourages the production of critical raw materials within Europe to reduce dependency on imports. So far, there are reportedly four bidders participating in the competition. According to the schedule, the responsible committee will evaluate the initial expressions of interest within ten days during Phase A of the process. Subsequently, it will review the binding offers submitted in Phase B, with further details to be announced via an official invitation from the ministry.