Montenegro is preparing to expand its 2026 concession plan for geological exploration and mineral-resource exploitation, opening the door for new mining and quarrying projects at a time when the government is trying to convert natural-resource potential into investment, employment and municipal revenue.
The proposed amendment to the annual concession plan, prepared by the Ministry of Energy and Mining, follows initiatives submitted by interested companies for locations not previously included in the existing framework. The ministry has also assessed geological data, spatial-planning documents, property relations and expected development effects before concluding that there is a public interest in adding new sites to the concession pipeline.
The decision does not mean automatic exploitation. Montenegro is positioning the new plan as a staged process: first detailed geological research, then concession documentation, public consultation, institutional opinions and only later possible tenders. Public calls for bids would remain open for at least 30 days, while concessions could be granted for periods of up to 30 years.
One of the proposed sites is Kličevac near Grahovo, where detailed geological exploration would assess reserves and quality of technical-construction stone. The government sees the location as commercially relevant because of its geological potential and transport accessibility. Preliminary expectations suggest the project could create at least 15 jobs, although the final investment case will depend on confirmed reserves, quality and market viability.
The plan also includes potential exploration of metallic mineral resources, including deposits with estimated reserves of lead, zinc, copper, silver and gold. For some locations, the employment effect could reach around 150 workers, but the ministry has stressed that commercial exploitation would only be considered after detailed research confirms economically viable reserves and after environmental conditions are met.
The fiscal structure is also important for local governments. Under current rules, the minimum concession fee is 4% of value, with 70% of revenue going to the local municipality and 30% to the state budget. That gives municipalities a direct financial interest in properly structured projects, especially in areas where industrial activity, infrastructure development and employment opportunities remain limited.
For investors, the signal is that Montenegro is again trying to activate its mineral-resource base, but under a more controlled permitting and environmental framework. The government is presenting concessions not simply as resource extraction, but as a tool for regional development, infrastructure improvement and fiscal diversification. That positioning matters because mining and quarrying projects in Montenegro are likely to face close public scrutiny, especially where they overlap with environmental protection, cultural heritage, land-use planning or tourism-sensitive areas.
The key test will be execution. If the state can manage transparent tenders, credible environmental review, enforceable concession obligations and clear benefit-sharing with municipalities, the new concession cycle could attract serious operators rather than speculative applicants. If procedures become opaque or environmental safeguards are treated as formalities, the policy could quickly generate local resistance.
Montenegro’s concession expansion therefore sits between two economic priorities: the need to unlock domestic resources and the need to prove that resource development can be governed to EU-compatible standards. The real value of the new plan will not be measured only by the number of concessions awarded, but by whether confirmed projects deliver investment, jobs, local revenue and environmental compliance at the same time.
