Prospects For The (Re)Opening Of The Processing Plant In Zlatna: Employment Intentions And Associated Factors – An Exploratory Quantitative Study
Prospects For The (Re)Opening Of The Processing Plant In Zlatna: Employment Intentions And Associated Factors – An Exploratory Quantitative Study

Summary/Abstract: This article examines how residents of the town of Zlatna and its surrounding localities relate to the (re)opening of a copper processing plant and to mining more generally, against the backdrop of postsocialist deindustrialization and contemporary debates on just transition. The study is quantitative and exploratory, based on a face-to-face administered questionnaire conducted between March and May 2024 (N = 127; valid N per item: 123–126), using a non-probability purposive sample. The instrument measured attitudes toward the historical role of mining, evaluations of the (re)opening of the plant, intentions to apply for a job, and perceived quality of life, alongside sociodemographic data. The results indicate a clearly favorable majority toward the project: 77% of respondents consider the opening of a new plant to be appropriate. The dominant perceived advantage is job creation (56%), whereas the main perceived disadvantage is the risk of pollution (62.2%), frequently articulated together with governance-related concerns. Intentions to apply for a job are moderate (31.8%) and are not significantly associated with occupational status (χ²(24) = 26.656; p = 0.321). Work experience in the former plant does not differentiate perceptions (Mann–Whitney, p > 0.34), whereas a favorable perception of the historical role of mining is moderately correlated with support for the project (r = 0.441; p < 0.001). The conclusions outline a social window of opportunity for local industrial development policies, conditional on robust environmental governance, transparency, and credible mechanisms for public participation.

• Details
• Contents