EcoLur
The public hearings on Amulsar open pit mining and heap leach plant construction were organized in Gndevaz Village on 25 August, where Gndevaz villager, journalist Tehmine Yenoqyan addressed a question to “Geoteam” CJSC in regard with threatening Gndevaz villagers opposing to mining project.
“210 villagers have applied to International Finance Corporation, IFC, where they lodged their complaint and demands. Several days ago I heard that these people were threatened. Who entitled you to threaten the citizens of Armenia, what’s your attitude towards this complaint, as the funding bodies found this complaint substantiated and started investigating it. At this moment, your company is undergoing monitoring and audit because of your activities,” Tehmine Yenoqyan asked.
“What about your question in regard with the Ombudsman’s office, they have their own procedures. It’s an independent organization so they will do whatever they want to. What about intimidating, I can assure this is definite misinformation,” said Armen Stepanyan, Environmental and Social Manager at “Geoteam” CSJC.
Gndevaz villager Mihrdat Nersisya was the next to address a question to “Geoteam” CSJC, “Under the estimates, you will use around 30 million tons of water for industrial purposes during 13 years. Where do you plan to let out this polluted industrial water, naturally through Arpa Gorge and Arpa River…You write on your website that Gndevaz will turn into an industrial village. After 13 years what will Gndevaz villagers do, as no agricultural activities are possible in the whole area of Gndevaz village?” the villager asked.
“By 13 years we mean that the first two years we have construction stage. Construction plus development will make up 13 years, the mine closedown will take another 5 years - a total of 18 years. What about cyanide, it’s applied worldwide. I will say that only 6% of the cyanide produced worldwide is used in mining. That is, in case of its proper management, it doesn’t pose any threats,” the company representative assured.
“The noise at night is mentioned as 27-45 decibel. The noise during daytime doesn’t exist. Jermuk is located farther than Kechout, but the noise in Kechout is 35-25 decibel, while in Jermuk it’s 49-50 decibel. These are things contradicting to each other…you are a technician, but you wrote 440 pages of tautology, while people are conscious. Who is responsible, let him stand the rocket for people to know who they gonna kill tomorrow. Who will stand the rocket? Right now write his name and familly name and sign it, tomorrow we will demand from you. The next tautology – 99% cyanide remains below. That is, you want to neutralize acid solution not to breathe hydrogen cyanide gas, you make it alkaline, where the alkaline will remain? In your calculations 20 tons of hydrogen cyanide acid are mentioned as 600 kg. Are you going to introduce air circulation system in 10 ha?” Armen Hambardzumayn asked?
“The solution is not available in open forms, it’s only in closed form. Emissions are not possible. Emission occurs only where it is filled and it’s absorbed afterwards. After absorption a calculation is carried out both weith our current methodology and the international methodology. These calculations show what kind of concentrations appear and whether or not they are lethal. These concentrations are rather low,” said project author Vram Tevosyan.
A villager, “Do you know where Amulsar is? Have you been there?... Sitting at home you wrote a tautology, you didn’t answer my question, eventually you must understand that people are living here, thousands of living creatures, children, elderly people, how can you stand the rocket?...I didn’t receive any reply… this is my soil and water, it’s owned by Gndevaz villagers, I must decide whether or not it will work. Don’t search for gold here, go search for it near your houses, let the people live. The gold mine won’t operate, Gndevaz villagers won’t let it.”
August 29, 2014 at 13:39