"Litchqvaz" CJSC has submitted to RA Environment Ministry the preliminary environmental impact assessment application for the construction of an ore dressing plant in the territory of Litchqvaz-tey gold mine, Syunik Region.
The company has soil management permit SHATV-29/293 from 22.11.2012 for Litchqvaz-tey gold mine, Syunik Region, the term of which is from 22.11.2012 to 08.02.2036.
The total area of the allocated subsoil area is 57.4 ha, the amount of the available mineral reserves is 2995.856 thousand tons of ore, out of which gold is 17650.85 kg, silver is 105.124 tons, and copper is 13.2121 thousand tons.
The ore mined by the company was enriched at “Kapan Ore Dressing Plant” CJSC.
The construction of an ore dressing factory is planned in the provided mining area. Under the project, the purpose of the proposed activity is to overcome the underloading of Litchqvaz-tey gold mine, the full compliance of the equipment and technological schemes with the characteristics of ore, the reduction of transport costs of ore transportation, and the reduction of negative effects on the environment.
Tkhkut village is located 2.5 km far from Litchqvaz-tey gold mine, Aygedzor - 3.5 km, Vardanidzor - 4 km, Lehvaz and Litchq - 7 km, Meghri town - 12 km away, as mining works are currently underway in the areas intended for the ore dressing factory and in the immediate vicinity, so the natural environment and the habitats of representatives of the animal world are also disturbed.
The proposed ore dressing plant will consist of large crushing, crushed ore warehouse, crushing, flotation (with an active materials department), concentrate dewatering, gravity recovery, tailings drying and distribution sites. The tailings are planned to be placed in the mine pits later.
The capacity of the fertile layer of the soil in the area planned for the construction of the ore dressing plant is, on average, 0.2-0.5 m.
EcoLur’s observations:
1. The prospect of the construction of the planned ore dressing plant contradicts Requirement 2 of expert assessment BP 60 of the environmental impact assessment report "Litchqvaz-tey gold mining" dated on 29.06.2017, which says the implementation of ore processing (plants, tailings, etc.) and accumulation works in the given area is excluded.
2. During the visit to the area, EcoLur recorded that the Company's heavy equipment enters the protection zone of "Arevik" National Park and "Boghaqar" sanctuary, thus disregarding the presence of signs prohibiting entry to the sanctuary.
3. During the review of soil management contract, the Company did not include the mine closedown plan, while it should have been submitted at the same time as requesting the right to extract minerals /Requirements of Article 49 (2(6)) of RA Mining Code were violated/.
October 06, 2022 at 15:38