Nature Protection Minister - Amoulsar Project Needs Additional Studies

EcoLur

Nature Protection Minister Aram Harutyunyan demanded to carry out additional studies on Amoulsar opencast mine as a result of the public hearings held on 18 April. “Lydian International” LLC Executive Director Tim Caughlin, the employees of “Lydian” company subsidiary, “Geoteam” Company, local community representatives took part in the discussion.

Impact Zone and Jermuk. Under the Amoulsar project, the impact zone includes small communities. But the Jermuk resort was not included in the impact zone. Jermuk administration and public oppose to Amoulsar project. They insist the project may have negative impact on Jermuk resort zone. Jermuk resort zone is expanded up to Amoulsar, while its development is prescribed by the government decision N 1064, 18.09.2009. The deposit of mineral waters in Jermuk is rather sensitive. Explosions at the deposit may provoke tectonic shifts, which may result in the disappearance of the deposit. Millions investments are made in resort development at the expense of Jermuk brand, as an ecologically clean territory with unique mineral sources. Geoteam insists that the project will be implemented beyond the administrative territory of Jermuk and it won’t have any negative impact on Jermuk.

Dust, dumps and water.  Experts (didn’t introduce themselves) gave their opinions of Geoteam projecy, “The maximum permissible concentration for Gorayk village (the most remote village in the project) may be increased insignificantly, by 0,002%. We couldn’t see what the dust contains…It’s impossible to understand how recultivation will be carried out, which won’t be brought back – 92 million tons. Probably recultivation will be carried out where it will be taken.” Under Geoteam Ecologist Armen Stepanyan’s explanations, explosions almost won’t generate dust, but particles of ore, which quickly accumulates… “” Explosions for dust generation are not essential. Cars will water the territory to reduce emissions, while crushing equipment is supposed to be placed in closed premises, which will reduce dust by 97%,” he said. “Greens Union of Armenia” Chairman Hakob Sanasaryan gave him an answer, “Your arguments about 100 and 1000 meters don’t work. There is already the gold extracting plant in Ararat, which annually emits 432 tons of dust into atmosphere and spreads for dozens of kilometers…It’s new for me that explosions don’t generate dust in mining.”

Biodiversity. Amoulsar project speaks about the presence of red-listed species on the territory of the project. At the same time WWF –Armenia office insists that Amoulsar has corridors for the passages of such red-listed species as bezoar goats and Armenian moufflons. The Bird Life Internаtional considers this territory a key ornithological territory. First Deputy Minister Simon Papyan, “Under the new code “On Soil”, Article 26, says, if the territory has nesting places of red-listed species and passage corridors, any mining is definitely banned…”

EcoLur has also submitted the risks connected with the uranium presence in Amoulsar. Uranium demonstrations in Amoulsar are known still from the Soviet times, but nobody has examined these demonstrations in detail. “Armenian-Russian Mining Organization” CJSC has a monopoly right over all kinds of work connected with radioactive raw material, which is currently dealing with geoprospecting in Lernadzor village (Syunik region). The results of the prospecting conducted by this company should be included in the project with clear designation of uranium borders to ensure radiation security of the project.

All the proposals on the project should be submitted to the working group of the Ministry headed by First Deputy Minister Simon Papyan within two weeks.

April 25, 2012 at 17:17