On August 18, 2022, at 6:00 p.m., "Metal Gold" company is organizing a public discussion on the request for preliminary assessment of the environmental impact of the experimental extraction of minerals from Gladzor polymetallic mine, Armenia. The public discussion is planned at the stadium of Gladzor settlement in Yeghegnadzor Community, Vayots Dzor Region, Armenia. The announcement of the public hearings was published on the official website of Yeghegnadzor Community.
According to the decree by Minister of RA Territorial Administration and Infrastructures dated on 26.02.2021, "Metal Gold" LLC was granted geological prospecting permit No. EHT29/309 for the purpose of extraction of minerals for a period of 3 years for the parameters of the conditions established as of 02.06.2009 and stock revaluation activities of Gladzor polymetallic mine in Vayots Dzor Region.
RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure (TAI) issued this permit without having the positive conclusion from "Environmental Impact Assessment Center" of Environment Ministry, because Environment Ministry, in response to TAI inquiry, stated that the company's activities is office-based, so it is not subject to an environmental impact assessment.
Thus, without an expert assessment process and public discussions, the company received e EHT29/309 permit for geological studies, then applied for an amendment to EHT29/309 permit and to add to the obligations an experimental extraction of up to 2500 m3 to perform technological tests.
The company, already having a contract and permit with TAI, wants to get an expert assessment conclusion to carry out extraction in the mine.
It should be noted that this is exactly what the application says: "The total duration of the operation of the mine for the experimental mining will make up 4-5 months... An open mine will be formed, which is also mentioned in the application.
In one of the documents attached to the application, there is a letter from "Republic Geological Fund" SNCO of TAI, which says there are no underground water sources in the area limited with the coordinates of Gladzor gold-polymetallic mine recorded in "Republic Geological Fund" SNCO. In fact, "Republican Geological Fund" SNCO does not exclude the existence of underground sources in the mine area. In response to the company's inquiry, SNCO says that there are no such data available in its archived reports. Furthermore, the functions of the SNCO do not include the verification of the authenticity of the data in the reports.
It should be noted that Hayk Isakhanyan, a Yeghegnadzor resident, sent a letter to RA Prime Minister's office on behalf of a group of residents of Yeghegnadzor consolidated community regarding "illegal developments" around Gladzor mine. "The Herher River starts from the territory of the coordinates voluntarily changed by "Metal Gold" LLC, passing through the Karmrashen and Herher settlements, it flows into the Herher Reservoir and the Arpa River.
The Arpa-Sevan tunnel is 100 meters deep, 2 km from the Herher River and the Karmrashen settlement. It is not excluded that the waters enriched with heavy metals and toxic substances will enter the Arpa-Sevan tunnel, flow into the Yeghegis Gorge and Lake Sevan, which contradicts the Law of the Republic of Armenia on Lake Sevan, its environment and waters flowing into Lake Sevan.
Thus, according to the procedure established by law, if "Metal Gold" company wants to extract experimental ore from Gladzor mine, then TAI must first annul off-site geological prospecting permit ЕHT29/309 and the corresponding contract. Then, an environmental impact assessment should be carried out on the company's intended activities, as a result of which TAI will decide whether or not to grant the company a permit.
August 09, 2022 at 12:13