ArmInfo
2,000 people have expressed their protest against the development of iron ore deposit in Hrazdan.
Coordinator of Hrazdan Aarhus Center Edgar Yengibaryan says that the deposit to be developed by Nagin company is situated 800 meters from Hrazdan and 1.5 km from Hrazdan River.
Experts say that this project may result in heavy metal contamination and serious ailments and may prove especially dangerous for children (there are three schools 2 km from the deposit). Ph.D. Jennifer Lyman (Environmental Center of AUA) predicts contamination of not only irrigation but also drinking water as the deposit is situated near several springs supplying water to hundreds of people. Meanwhile, the project says that polluted water will be sent to a collector near the village of Kagsi. "Fine but this collector has not worked for several years," says Yengibaryan.
Unfortunately, all this has not prevented Nagin company from securing the approval of the State Ecological Examination Committee of the Ministry of Environment Protection of Armenia.
The company is going not only to develop the deposit but to build an ore processing factory there.
Two public hearings have been held on this project since late 2008. Representatives of Hrazdan Aarhus Center were also there. "July 30 we sent an open letter to President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan where we specified all the ecological risks of this project but we have received no answer so far," says Yengibaryan.
In order to show the public the threats of the project Hrazdan Aarhus center has collected protest signatures. 2,000 people have objected to the project so far.
The "Nature of Armenia" encyclopedia says that the Hrazdan deposit contains 75mln-100mln tons of 27.95% iron ore.
November 19, 2009