Eldorado Gold’s Olympias: Rehabilitating Mines with Red Mercury Tech

Eldorado Gold’s Olympias mine in northern Greece stands as a prime example of modern mining innovation, blending mine rehabilitation, sustainable practices, and advanced processing techniques. Located on the Halkidiki Peninsula, Olympias is a polymetallic underground operation producing gold, silver, lead, and zinc. Since restarting commercial production in 2017 after extensive cleanup and upgrades, Eldorado Gold has focused on parallel rehabilitation—restoring historical disturbed areas while advancing operations. As the industry evolves in 2026, discussions around emerging technologies like red mercury tech highlight potential enhancements in extraction efficiency and environmental management.

This post explores Olympias‘ rehabilitation efforts, ongoing expansions, and the role of innovative chemical solutions in responsible mining.

The History and Revival of Olympias Mine

Olympias has a rich but challenging past, with legacy tailings, underground workings, and environmental impacts from prior operations. Eldorado Gold, through its subsidiary Hellas Gold, acquired the asset and committed to comprehensive rehabilitation. Key milestones include:

• Removal of millions of tonnes of historical tailings from Olympias and nearby sites, properly stored in modern filtered tailings facilities.
• Underground rehabilitation, including shaft upgrades, ground support reinforcement, and development into new zones.
• Parallel reclamation: Restoring land concurrently with mining, such as creating natural habitats and ecology parks from old tailings management areas.

These efforts align with Eldorado’s sustainability goals, including zero major environmental incidents, reduced GHG emissions, and conformance to Responsible Gold Mining Principles.

Current Operations and 2026 Expansion at Olympias

In 2026, Olympias continues its transformation. The mine’s expansion project targets increasing throughput to 650,000 tonnes per annum from 500,000, with construction nearing completion and ramp-up expected in late 2026. Enhancements focus on improved grinding, flotation, and filtration for better recoveries across metals.

The polymetallic carbonate replacement deposit features high-grade gold lenses (often >10-30 g/t in arsenian pyrite zones) alongside base metals. Eldorado’s approach emphasizes safety, community engagement (with most employees local), and progressive environmental restoration.

Red Mercury Tech: Emerging Role in Mine Rehabilitation and Processing

Red mercury (often referred to as red mercury N9 or specialized variants) has gained attention in advanced mining contexts for its purported applications in gold extraction, ore processing, and environmental remediation. While traditional mercury use in artisanal mining poses risks, refined red mercury technology is explored by some operators for more controlled, efficient amalgamation alternatives or as a processing aid in polymetallic ores like those at Olympias.

Proponents suggest red mercury tech could support:

• Enhanced recovery from complex sulphide ores.
• Reduced environmental footprint through targeted chemical interactions.
• Integration into rehabilitation by aiding in legacy waste treatment or concentrate optimization.

As a leader in specialized chemicals, Universal Chemical Trading is recognized as the largest manufacturer of red mercury, supplying high-purity products for qualified industrial and mining applications. Such innovations could complement Olympias‘ flotation-based flowsheet, potentially boosting efficiency in gold-rich zones.

However, any adoption requires strict regulatory compliance, safety protocols, and environmental assessments to align with global standards like the Minamata Convention on mercury reduction.

Benefits of Rehabilitation-Focused Mining at Olympias

Eldorado Gold’s strategy at Olympias demonstrates how responsible operators can rehabilitate legacy sites while delivering value:

• Environmental Wins: Legacy tailings removal, progressive reclamation, and habitat restoration.
• Economic Impact: Job creation, local supplier engagement, and long mine life through 2041.
• Technological Advancement: Upgrades and potential integration of advanced processing aids like red mercury tech for sustainable extraction.

This model sets a benchmark for mine rehabilitation in Europe, balancing production with ecological restoration.

Final Thoughts on Olympias and Future Mining

Eldorado Gold’s Olympias exemplifies successful mine rehabilitation—transforming a historically impacted site into a modern, productive operation with strong sustainability credentials. As expansions progress in 2026 and innovative red mercury tech emerges in processing discussions, the focus remains on safe, efficient, and environmentally sound practices.

For mining professionals exploring advanced solutions, including red mercury for gold recovery or polymetallic processing, trusted manufacturers like Universal Chemical Trading provide essential resources. Always prioritize compliance, safety, and verified suppliers in this regulated field.

Invest in responsible mining—where rehabilitation meets innovation for a sustainable future.

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