Aleksandr Avanesov, ArmInfo
Interview of Director General of CJSC Armenian-Russian Mining Company Mkrtich E.Kirakosyan with ArmInfo news agency
Mr. Kirakosyan, when was CJSC Armenian-Russian Mining Company (ARMC) founded and what are its goals?
The company was founded in July 2008. Setting up of the company was stipulated by the Protocol of Intent between the Armenian Environment Ministry and Russian Federal Atomic Energy Agency dated 23 April 2007 and the Action Plan for 2007, as well as by the Memorandum between the State Atomic Corporation (Rosatom) and the Armenian Environment Ministry dated 6 February 2007 and Action Plan for 2008. In accordance with the Protocol of Intent and Memorandum, the goal of the company is promoting cooperation in the sphere of geological exploration, mining and processing uranium ores.
At what stage is the process of determining uranium deposits in Armenia now? Have the units of prospecting works already been determined?
At present ARMC CJSC is working out the project on geological prospecting of uranium and other mineral resources in Armenia. Specific areas of prospecting and assessing works will be determined by the project and framed up by the licence for subsoil management after the Armenian Government takes a decision to provide ARMC CJSC with a special permit to carry out the prospecting works.
When does the company intend to launch large-scale works in this direction?
The prospecting works are envisaged to start in spring 2009. It is noteworthy that by their nature and technical implementation, these works will not differ from dozens of other geological exploration works carried out in Armenia. All the activities will be held in full compliance with the Armenian legislation in environmental sphere and will meet all the ecological norms. It is still early to speak of large-scale geological exploration work. The decision will be taken according to the results of 2009.
Are there any preliminary assessments on the amount of investments in prospecting work at least? If yes, how many assessments are there?
According to our preliminary assessments, investments in the project at the stage of geological exploration will amount to several millions US dollars.
Won’t the global financial crisis affect the amount of investments?
At present we have no reasons to worry.
Various assessments say the volumes of uranium reserves in Armenia range from 30 to 60 thsd tons. How much real are these volumes?
According to the results of the work carried out in Soviet times and preliminary assessments of experts, Armenia has only predicted uranium resources. Uranium reserves belong to several insignificant ore occurrences. Our task is to study the available materials, hold geological exploration, and give a reply to your question on the basis of the exploration work.
Have the materials on approximate uranium reserves and their location been already received from Rosatom?
The Russian side has passed all the necessary initial geological information to the Republic of Armenia. It will be used during elaboration and implementation of the project on exploration work. We have an opportunity to receive further information from the Russian geological archives, if necessary.
The general idea is that after signing an agreement with Ukraine and Tajikistan on development of the uranium deposits available since Soviet times, Russia has started losing its interest in Armenia. How much grounded are these statements?
As far as I know, Russia cooperates in the sphere of uranium exploration and mining not only with Ukraine and Tajikistan, but with other countries as well. Russia’s participation in uranium projects in various countries is the result of its activity in diversifying the raw material base and uranium mining. I think this has no negative effect on promotion of the Armenian-Russian cooperation in uranium sphere which continues meeting the agreements reached at the interstate level.
December 17, 2008