"Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine" CJSC wants to develop Lichq copper mine. At 10:00 a.m. on April 5, 2023, the first discussion of the preliminary environmental impact assessment application for the mining of minerals in the Lichq copper mine, Syunik Region, submitted by ZCMC, was scheduled at Meghri municipality, as we learn from the official website of Meghri municipality, whereas the deadline for considering the application is March 29 at 15:00 on the official website of the RA Ministry of Environment.
The operational reserves of the mine amount to 46.29 million tons. In case of annual productivity of 2 million tons, the mine will be operated for 23 years.
Under the project, it is planned to use the external backfilling of the rocks in the open pit. The total capacity of the landfill will be around 24464.3 thousand cubic meters.
Reminder: in 2013, the right to soil management of Lichq copper mine was given to Tatstone LLC for the period until 2028. However, the works in the mine were stopped from May 24, 2018. On May 12, 2021, RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure terminated the soil management rights of "Touchstone" LLC. As the reason for the termination of the soil management right, the decree mentions non-implementation of extraction works in the mine. https://www.ecolur.org/hy/
Newly submitted project states: "In the upper horizons of Lichq copper mine, about 589 thousand cubic meters of capping rocks have already been removed as a result of the mining capital works previously carried out."
The other day, "Lichq" movement made a post on the Facebook social network, which says: "The residents of Meghri community have already clearly formulated their negative position about Lichq mine and handed over the package approved by 4000 signatures to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Please do not overlook this important fact. The petition says:
1. The mine is located in the sanitary zone of the drinking water distribution system of the city of Meghri and other settlements, and the operation of the mine can have a very serious impact, both qualitative and quantitative, on the water of the Meghri River and the drinking water supply system. The Meghri River and Zvaraget River, which supply the region with irrigation water, also flow through the territory of the mine, and their contamination with heavy and dangerous metals is inevitable.
2. The mine is located in Arevik National Park and its buffer zone, it is forested and has a very rich biodiversity.
3. The mine is located at an unacceptable distance from the residential area of Lichq village. The tremors caused by the explosions seriously threaten the strength of the houses in the village, the village is constantly surrounded by the dust caused by the explosions, and the sound of working machinery is constantly heard from the village.
4. We are convinced that the funds allocated to the community budget and the jobs created from the operation of the mine are incomparable to the losses that Lichq settlement and entire Meghri community are currently suffering.
5. Mining forever closes the prospect of development of other sectors in Lichq settlement such as tourism, agriculture, just a chance to live, as well as the ecological security of the entire Meghri region is at real stake."
March 27, 2023 at 16:59