Mineral raw material management in Varaždin County

Rudarstvo je jedna od najstarijih grana gospodarstva koja se bavi istraživanjem i eksploatacijom mineralnih sirovina. Mineralne sirovine predstavljaju neobnovljiv prirodni resurs. Uporabna vrijednost mineralnih sirovina stalno se mijenja, ovisno o potrebama, te je zadatak struke da stalno valorizira njihovu vrijednost. Mineralne sirovine obično se definiraju kao prirodni agregati minerala i / ili prirodnih spojeva koji se mogu koristiti za različite gospodarske potrebe, te se prvenstveno razmatraju s aspekta mogućnosti stavljanja u funkciju, odnosno kroz moguću eksploataciju. Mineralni resursi Republike Hrvatske omogućavaju eksploataciju i preradu mineralnih sirovina u naftnoj, kemijskoj, staklarskoj, keramičkoj, cementnoj, vatrostalnoj, ciglarskoj te u industriji arhitektonsko-građevnog kamena, a posebice u graditeljstvu. Mogućnosti, odnosno ograničenja iskorištavanja mineralne sirovine ovise o geološkim, genetskim, tehničko-eksploatacijskim, regionalnim, tržišnim i društveno gospodarskim faktorima. Bilo koja aglomeracija stijena smatra se ležištem mineralne sirovine tek ako se utvrdi da postoji tehnologija kojom bi se iz nje ekstrahirale korisne tvari ili energija, da je ima u dovoljnim količinama za ekonomičnu eksploataciju, te da ležišni uvjeti omogućuju ekonomičnost tj. eksploataciju mineralnih sirovina.Mining is one of the oldest branches of economy that deals with research and exploitation of mineral raw materials. Mineral raw materials represent a non-renewable natural resource. Utility value of mineral raw materials constantly changes and it is the task of science to constantly valorize their value. Mineral raw materials are usually defined as natural aggregates of minerals and/or natural compounds which can be used for various economic purposes, and are primarily assessed from the aspect of being put into function, i.e. through the possibility of their exploitation. Mineral resources of the Republic of Croatia enable exploitation and processing of mineral raw materials in oil, chemical, glass, ceramic, fireproof glass and brick industry, as well as in the industry of architectural stone material, especially in the construction industry. Possibilities and limitations related to utilization of mineral raw material primarily depend on geological, genetic, technical, exploitation, regional, market and social and economic fac tors. Any kind of rock agglomeration is considered as finding site of mineral row material after establishing availability of technology that would enable extraction of useful substance or energy in sufficient quantities for economic exploitation, as well as after establishing that the site conditions enableefficiency, i.e. exploitation of the mineral raw material