Geophysical exploration of chromite deposits in Albania

This contribution illustrates a geophysical exploration campaign conducted in and around the small-scale chromite mines of Bulqiza, Albania, within the framework of the Horizon Europe MINEYE Project (GA: 101138456, 2024-2027) [1]. The field activities, carried-out in June-July 2025, were led by a multidisciplinary team from the University of Bologna, the Luleå Technical University, and the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, with strategic support from local miners of the company So.Ri.Co.M. Srl. The primary objective of the campaign was to expand the subsurface knowledge, in depth, over the entire area for chromite deposits characterization, and to assess the potential for associated metals, such as vanadium and other trace elements [2]. The geophysical survey focused on detecting geophysical anomalies arising in the presence of chrome and other metals in the chromite mineralisation and associated host rocks, and employed suits of methods: Controlled Source Electromagnetic (CSEM), Direct Current Resistivity (DC), Induced Polarization (IP), and Self-Potential (SP) [3]. Among the challenges, it was necessary to accurately identify and locate existing mining tunnels, both ongoing and closed, as precisely as possible, some even dating back to the Hoxha era. The approach and knowledge developed in the Bulqiza case study have the potential to be transferred and utilised for the re-exploration of historical mining sites in Italy [4]. Data analysis is currently ongoing, and the results will be used to identify potential zones for further on-site investigations.