EcoLur
New tendency in Armenia is to open mines in specially protected territories and forest. Only in May 2012 at least three projects of opencast development were presented at public hearings. On 14 May 'Assat' LLC presented the project on Qaraberd gold mine development in Lori Region. The territory of the mine is located next to Margavit rhododendron wildlife reserve and Gyulaqar pine trees and Dilijan National Park.
On 29 May the public hearings on Mazra gold mine opencast development was held in Tsav Village, the territory of which adheres to 'Shikahogh' wildlife preserve.
The hearings on opencast development of nepheline and syeniticа mine, which is next to Hanqavan hydrological reserve, which is located next to the zones of Tsaghkadzor, Hanqavan, Arzaqan and Meghradzor.
On 31 May the government approved its decision on changing the category of land areas in Qarinj Village, which belong to the forest fund, to land areas for industrial significance for the development Zkrut dolerite –basalt mine.
Meanwhile Agriculture Ministry, which supervises 'ArmForest' SNCO, opposed to this decision, but nobody took it into consideration.
Here the seizure of few left forest and specially protected territories is not finished, as another 175 mines are waiting for their turn, where geoprospecting is still in progress, but the license for development hasnn't been issued so far.
June 01, 2012 at 20:06