No. 3-4, 2017 Mining & Metallurgy Engineering Bor 171 MINING AND METALLURGY INSTITUTE BOR ISSN: 2334-8836 (Štampano izdanje) UDK: 622 ISSN: 2406-1395 (Online) UDK: 622.343./.349:622.7:504.06(045)=111 doi:10.5937/mmeb1704171S Marko Savić * , Milan Milojević *, Nikola Pavlović * , Miloš Milanović * SOURCES OF POLLUTION IN LEAD - ZINC CONCENTRATE PRODUCTION IN THE FLOTATION PLANT “KOPAONIK“ – LEPOSAVIĆ Abstract The aim of this paper is to monitor the operation of the Flotation Plant Kopaonik - Leposavić, where the technological process of flotation of lead - zink ore is carried out, with special reference to the sources of pollution created during in the given technological process. The pollution caused by the technological process of lead-zinc ore flotation in the Flotation Plant "Kopaonik" Leposavić can be divided into three groups: water pollution, soil pollution and air pollution. This work wants to emphasize the importance of mining production sustainable development in near future, strengthening of ecological awareness, development of ecological volunteer activities and implementation of more and more stringent environmental standards. The constant increase in the cost of protection to date is a consequence of continuous improvements of both legal regulations and general ecological awareness. Keywords: concentrate, exploitation, pollution, regulation * High Economic School of Vocational Studies Peć-Leposavić, e-mail: savic22@yahoo.com; e-mail: mikan89@live.com; e-mail: nikpayu@yahoo.com; e-mail: mmailanovic30@gmail.com 1 INTRODUCTION The Flotation Plant is located in Leposa- vić, which, together with the mines Crnac, Belo Brdo, Žuta Prlina and Koporić, com- poses the working organization Kopaonik within the Trepča combine. The mines Belo Brdo, Žuta Prlina and Koporić were opened in the places with the same names on the slopes of the Kopaonik mountain, on the right bank of the Ibar Riv- er. The Crnac mine was opened in the place carrying the same name on the Rogozna mountain on the left bank of the Ibar River. The traces of the mining carried out in the past are still visible in all these locations. A well-preserved branch of the old city water pipeline was found in the village of Crnac, which talks for itself about the intensity of mining. Not far from Leposavic, on the main road for Kosovska Mitrovica, there is a settlement called Socanica, where the remains of the ancient Roman city are loca- ted, as well as the remains of the smelter, which talks on development of mining at that time, as well as that this area is rich in ore resources. The Flotation Plant in Leposa- vic is located so that it can receive the entire production from all four processing mines. The Flotation Plant has a plant for the primary ore crushing from the mine Crnac, while the plants for the primary ore crushing from other mines have been built in those mines themselves. The Flotation Plant has two sections for selective flotation of lead and zinc minerals. The processing capacity is 1300 tons per day, or 27 tons per hour.