

EcoLur
The operation of Nahatak Tailing Dump owned by "Akhtala OPC" CJSC is planned to be stopped by January-March 2019, afterward it will be reclaimed. The preliminary estimated costs of the reclaiming works will make up 200 million AMD. This is what "Akhtala OPC" CJSC Director in Foreign Affairs Gagik Shahnazaryan informed in his reply letter to EcoLur.
Nahatak Tailing Dump is not fenced and is located in the middle of Mets Ayrum and Tchotchkan Villages near the residential houses.
At the end of July, the specialists of Czech 'Arnika' NGO specializing in chemical safety and University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague carried out sampling from the residue of the tailing dumps and soil from the adjacent land areas to find out the level of environmental pollution and its impact on human health as a result of tailing dump operation. While Nazik Tailing Dump, which had been covered with soil several years ago, was considered to be as non-reclaimed by the Czech experts who mentioned it pollutes the environment.
In reply to EcoLur's questions on the tailing dumps, "Akhtala OPC" CJSC informs in its reply letter, 'Taking into consideration the assessment of the tailing dump constructed on the Nahatak River given in “Armenia: Strategic Mineral Sector Sustainability Assessment” report published with the support of the World Bank, as well as the examinations carried out by us and others, the enterprise is constructing a workshop of dry tails, which will be put into operation in the near future. After proceeding to the technology of dry tails the operation of Nahatak Tailing Dump will be stopped.
It is planned to stop the operation of the tailing dump by January-March 2019, afterward it will be reclaimed according to the planned activities. The preliminary estimated costs of the reclaiming works will make up 200 million AMD, which will be covered by our company. What about Nazik Tailing Dump, it was covered with a one-meter-thick layer of soil and was greened. In the course of time, the detected drawbacks are planned to be corrected in parallel with the reclaiming works of Nahatak Tailing Dump.
After the accomplishment of the geological prospecting currently conducted in Shamlugh copper mine by "Akhtala OPC" CJSC, the industrial capacities of the enterprise will be designed and environmental management plans will be drawn up,' the letter says.
It should be mentioned that EcoLur asked to provide the operation and environmental management plans of Akhtala Ore Processing Combine and Shamlukh copper mine, the safety passports of Nahatak and Nazik Tailing Dumps and technical instructions of the operation of Nahatak tailing dump. Nevertheless, the company hasn't provided these documents.
August 17, 2018 at 15:32