"EcoLur" presented RA Acting Environment Minister Romanos Petrosyan with the list of non-operating metal mining companies for which RA Environment Ministry has not set the amount of monitoring fees.
EcoLur's letter says:
“Dear Mr. Minister,
On April 30, “EcoLur” Informational NGO presented at the meeting of Public Council under RA Environment Minister certain results of "Responsibility of Non-Operating Mining Companies in EITI Process" project on mining issues. According to our arrangement, we present to you the list of operating and non-operating metal mining companies, for which the amount of monitoring fees has not been set by RA Environment Ministry.
It should be noted that this refers to the amount of monitoring fees to ensure the safety of the population of the adjacent communities and the health of the population of the adjacent communities, as well as the location of the extracted area, the landfills generated during the extraction. The data of the companies were taken from the reports of the companies and RA Environment Ministry published on the website of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Armenia for 2016-2018.
These companies are as follows:
1. "Teghut" CJSC, SHATV-29/376 soil management right term: 20.02.2013-08.02.2026. The company develops Teghut copper-molybdenum mine in Lori Region.
2. "Agarak Copper-Molybdenum Combine" CJSC, SHATV-29/311, soil management right term: 05.04.2013 - 31.12.2029. The company develops Agarak copper-molybdenum mine.
3. "Multi Group Concern" LLC, SHATV-29/213, soil management right term: 20.10.2012- 06.03.2031. The company possesses soil management right of 8 and 5 mineral bodies of Mghart gold mine, Lori Region, RA.
4. "Sagamar" CJSC, SHATV-29/093, soil management right term: 20.10.2012 - 01.03.2049. The company possesses soil management right of Armanis gold-polymetallic mine.
5. "AT-METALS" LLC, SHAT-29/514: the soil management right was issued on 24.12.2014 for 7.5 years for Meghrasar gold mining in Syunik Region.
6. "Ler Ex" LLC, Shatv-29/094 soil management right to the central site of Hanqasar copper-molybdenum mine, term: 16.08.2012 - 14.08.2032.
7. "Baktek Eco" LLC, SHAT-29/515, soil management right to Arjut gold mine, Lori Region, Armenia, issued on 15.08.2014 for 26 years.
8. "VAYK GOLD" LLC, SHAT-29/371, soil management right to Azatek gold-polymetallic mine, Vayots Dzor Region, Armenia, term: 23.11.2012-23.11.2037. By order No. 711-A of RA Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure dated on December 19, 2019, "Vayk Gold" LLC was deprived of soil management right. The company appealed the order in RA Administrative Court. The case is under trial.
9. "MEGO GOLD" LLC, SHATV-29/184, soil management right to the central site of Tukhmanuk gold mine, Aragatsotn Region, Armenia, term: 28.12.2012 - 21.07.2040. The soil management right was terminated by order 693-A of RA Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure dated on 13.12.2019, but the company appealed the order in RA Administrative Court. The trial is not over yet.
10. "FORCE RESOURCES" LLC, SHATV-29/169, soil management right for Hrazdan iron mine, term 20.10.2012 - 26.01.2032. By order of N 1033-A of RA Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure dated on 31.07.2020, the company's soil management right was terminated. The company appealed the order. The case is in Court of Cassation.
11. "WORLD OF MOLYBDENUM" LLC, SHAT-29/174, soil management right in Dastakert copper-molybdenum mine, Syunik Region, Armenia, issued on 06.11.2012 for a period of 9.2 years. The company's soil management permit was terminated by order 1008-A of RA Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure on 28.07.2020. The company appealed the order in RA Administrative Court. The trial is appointed.
12. No monitoring fees have been set for “Marjan Mining”, “Paramount Gold Mining”, “Vardani Zartonq” companies, where their soil management rights have been terminated and as a result of the appeal, RA Administrative Court rejected or returned the lawsuits of these companies against RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure.
Non-payment of monitoring fees by these companies, the requirement of Part 1 of Article 59 of RA Subsoil Code was violated. RA Environment Ministry is legally responsible for that, which was obliged to determine the amount of those rents in the EIA process, in accordance with Article 17 (2(7)) of RA Subsoil Code and the requirements of RA Government Resolution N22-N dated on January 10, 2013.
Pursuant to Article 80 of the Transitional Provisions of RA Subsoil Code (entered into force on January 1, 2012), the soil management agreements concluded before 2012 had to be revised to comply with the requirements of the Code (including monitoring), which was not done. We expect from you to receive regular updates on the problem-solving process.
We would also like to inform you that RA Environment Ministry has not had a representative in the EITI multi-stakeholder group for a long time, as a result of which the Ministry is not involved in the ongoing processes."
May 05, 2021 at 15:52