Municipality of Radovis
Home to North Macedonia's only gold-copper mine (Bučim), producing 800-1,000 kg gold annually alongside 4,000 tons of Jaka tobacco.
Radoviš exists because copper and gold concentrated beneath the surface at Bučim—the only active gold-copper mine in North Macedonia. This municipality in the Southeastern Statistical Region hosts an operation employing 500 workers that produces 45,000 tons of copper concentrate, 7,000 tons of cathode copper, and 800-1,000 kilograms of gold annually. The Solway Investment Group acquired Bučim in 2005 and has invested over $50 million in modernization.
The formation era established mining traditions that the 1976-1979 Bučim construction continued. The municipality's mineral resources extend beyond the active mine: clay kaolin, quartz, granite, lime, iron, copper, lead, zinc, and silver exist in varying concentrations. The iron mine at Damjan no longer operates, but the geological endowment suggests future extraction potential.
Today Radoviš combines mining with agriculture: pepper and oriental tobacco (4,000 tons annually of the small-leaved Jaka variety) anchor agricultural production. The economy spans mining, construction, food processing, textiles, wood processing, and paper manufacturing. The southeastern location places the municipality within the agricultural zone known for early vegetables and Mediterranean climate influence, though Bučim mining dominates employment and regional significance.
By 2026, Radoviš depends on Bučim's continued operation and commodity prices for copper and gold. The $50 million Solway investment demonstrates commitment, but mining assets eventually deplete. The agricultural base—tobacco, peppers, vegetables—provides diversification, though nothing matches mining's employment concentration and export value.