EcoLur
Geoteam Company intends to run so-called "green" policy in mining industry. In his interview with EcoLur Geoteam Direcotr Hayk Aloyan said, “The company operates using the latest technology according to the Western standards and introduces this practice into Armenia. This is the requirement set by International Financial Corporation, IFC, which is our main shareholder.”
Under IFC standards, the company particularly must conduct environmental impact assessment of the project and to hold social and environmental events, consult with the local population etc.
The local population to be covered with social responsibility are several communities: Gorayk, Gndevaz, Saravan and Kechout. The locals are pleased: the road and the village administration building in Gorayk Community have been renovated, the village has been presented a device for water filtration, and even garbage is collected via cars, which is an unprecedented case for Armenia. Working places have been created. “They didn’t even start to mine gold, but already help us,” said Gorayk Village Aroustam Aroustamyan.
The company reports say Geoteam has donated 17.000 \$ to the Regional Development Plan of the Syunik Regional Authorities. These funds will be used to improve the infrastructure for the population living in this region. In 2008, Geoteam has rehabilitated part of the main road to the Camp Amulsar and main exploration area (10km) and also the road that connects the town of Jermuk with the local villages in total length of 6km. As a result, local residents have an easier and shorter access to largest town in the area. “We want for Armenia to have a company that can become a good example how to organize mining,” Ayk Aloyan said.
Each month information bulletin is published for villager with environmental and social rubrics. The information bulletin contains a brief report, for example, how many water samples and from where have been taken, how many air and soil samples have been taken etc. Unfortunately, neither the information bulletin, nor the official website of Lidian International Company, 100% share owner of Geoteam Company, says what has been detected in these samples. But this is important, as one can suppose from the content of samples what will be emitted to environment, when opencast development of the mine starts.
Answering the question of EcoLur Hayk Aloyan said he is sure the main risk of this project is dust from explosions and crushing. When EcoLur asked about content and spread of impurities of heavy and toxic metals dust contains, the company’s Health and Safety Environmental Community Manager Armen Stepanyan assured that impurities accumulate after 15 minutes and remain in a close distance from the mine, thus not affecting farther territories.
“We have computed dust distance with a radius of up to 6 km and are sure dust won’t get spread after these ranges.” Under the Armen Stepanyan, measures aimed at dust non-proliferation include watering, as well as forest shelter belts, and a nursery garden is being set up in Gndevaz for this purpose.
For our part, it should be noted that dust tailing accumulate, while light ends spread at farther distances.
February 17, 2011