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The project will finance the expansion of a copper electrolysis refining plant at an existing site in Bulgaria. It also includes the construction of a first-of-its-kind recycling facility in Germany, designed to process complex internal and external smelter intermediary products as well as recycling materials.
The promoter's investments aim to address the growing demand for copper—a strategic raw material essential for the production of Net-Zero technologies, including e-mobility, renewables, ICT, as well as aerospace and defence. The expansion of the electrolysis plant will increase the output of copper cathodes—refined, finished copper—at the Pirdop refinery in Bulgaria by 50%, reaching 340,000 tons per year. Through the Complex Recycling Hamburg (CRH) project, the promoter will gain the capacity to process approximately 30,000 additional tons per year of recycled materials and complex internal smelter intermediary products. As a result, the company is streamlining both internal and external value chains, contributing to the circular economy.
Both projects fall under Annex II of environmental impact assessment (EIA) Directive 2011/92/EU (as amended by EIA Directive 2014/52/EU), the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) 2010/75/EU, Directive 2012/18/EU on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances (SEVESO III), and Decision EU 2016/1032, establishing BAT conclusions (BREF) for the non-ferrous metals industries. A Preliminary Examination (screening) by the authorities during the permitting process determined that new EIAs are not required. The operating permits for both Projects incorporate limits which are compliant with the "best available techniques" as defined in the European Commission's enforcement decision establishing conclusions on the best available techniques for the non-ferrous metals industries under IED of 13 June 2016.
The promoter has been assessed by the EIB as being a private company not being subject to EU rules on public procurement or concessions.