ArmInfo
The protests of ecologists on expediency of exploitation of the Tekhut copper-molybdenum deposit should not turn into demagogy, Chairman of the Permanent parliamentary Commission on social issues, health and nature protection Ara Babloyan told ArmInfo asked about adherence to the ecological standards during preparation of the project of exploitation of the mine in the republic's Lori region by ACP Company.
He said that Armenia cannot develop other branches of the mining industry having no such natural resources as oil and gas. "If we have polymetallic deposits, especially copper and molybdenum demanded in the world market, we cannot develop them, moreover as a ply for development of the economy, of the mining industry, in particular, has been taken in a strategic direction", the interlocutor said. Talking of the damage to nature under an open exploitation of the deposit, A. Babloyan said that the issue of creating a tailing dump of toxic wastes was not withdrawn from the agenda even under closed exploitation of the deposit.
Meanwhile, Babloyan said, the "Armenian Copper Project" (ACP), which is authorized to exploit the deposit during 25 years, has been set a task of stage-by-stage fulfillment of liabilities on reintroduction of the Tekhut forest, somewhere else. In fact, according to the deposit exploitation plan, the ACP has been set task to work against time to repair a damage to nature. As Babloyan said, this damage should be repaired by planting a forest somewhere else and in double size.
Taking into account seriousness of the tasks set in the contest of the deposit exploitation with minimum damage to the environment., the Tekhut project was completely developed in line with the international standards. If the Company, which carries out this project, breakes the plans and is guided by its own methods, not agreed with the government, it will turn out to be under rough penalty provisions", Babloyan said.
November 13, 2007