From Exploration
to Rehabilitation
Highlighting DPM's Approach to Responsible Mining
“As we prepare for the end of Ada Tepe’s mine life, currently expected in mid-2026, we see an opportunity to set new standards for responsible mine closure in line with our values. As the first new mine to begin production in the Balkans in over 40 years, Ada Tepe stands as an example of our approach to building, operating, and closing mining operations responsibly and with care for the long-term prosperity of the local community.”
David Rae
President and CEO of DPM Metals Inc.
“I believe in sustainable development that combines economic benefits with care for people and the environment. For us, success is defined by the lasting value we leave for our employees, the local communities, and nature.”
Irena Tsakova
General Manager of DPM Krumovgrad EAD.
“Our business is one of the few with a clear beginning and end. With the Ada Tepe mine, we saw an opportunity to change perceptions of the mining business by combining advanced technology with care for people and nature. We are leaving Krumovgrad, but we believe that we are leaving a future behind us. Everything we have achieved shows that when business and the community work together, they can bring about positive change.”
Dr. Iliya Garkov
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of DPM Metals Inc.
“The most striking example of a project that seemed ‘impossible’ is the Ada Tepe mine. Nevertheless, we saw the potential for a model of a modern and responsible mining operation, and we developed the Ada Tepe mine in the best possible way together with the people of Krumovgrad.”
Lubomir Hainov
Vice President, Operational Readiness at DPM Metals Inc. and First General Manager of Ada Tepe
Ada Tepe is an open-pit gold mine. Located 3 kilometres south of the town of Krumovgrad in Bulgaria, it was the first new greenfield mine to be built in the Balkans in the past 40 years.
The mine was commissioned in August 2019. The operation utilizes a mining, crushing, milling and flotation processing circuit. The mining method is a conventional open-cut drill, blast, load and haul operation.
DPM implemented innovative water management and mining waste management techniques aimed at achieving best-in-class environmental performance. The Integrated Mine Waste Facility (IMWF) stores the mine waste and tailings from production, enabling water conservation, reducing the overall environmental footprint, and supporting progressive reclamation in connection with our operations.
DPM invested over US$164 million in the development and construction of Ada Tepe.
Developed within a Natura 2000 protected area, Ada Tepe is an example of DPM's approach to responsible mining, which prioritizes environmental protection.
Ada Tepe by the Numbers: 2019 to 2025
5.5 million tonnes
Total mined ore
46,900 tonnes
Total produced
gold concentrate
4 grams per tonne
Average gold grade
142 M BGN
(US$85 M)
Royalties paid
180 M BGN
(US$108 M)
Additional payments to government
27 M BGN
(US$16 M)
Investments in the local community
310 people
Employed at the mine
Over 1,000 jobs
created in the municipality of Krumovgrad
DPM operates the mine in-line with the highest standards in the mining industry.
