“Meta Gold” LLC’s Public Hearing Conducted in Gross Violation of the Law, Say Opponents of Gladzor Polymetallic Mine Project
Harutyun Gevorgyan, head of the initiative group opposing the exploration and operation of the Gladzor polymetallic mine, and his assistant Hayk Isakhanyan have sent an open letter to the Minister of Environment of Armenia, Vayots Dzor Regional Governor Kolya Mikaelyan, and Mayor of Yeghegnadzor consolidated community, Davit Harutyunyan. In their letter, they demand that the request submitted by “Meta Gold” LLC to explore mineral resources in the Gladzor polymetallic mine area in Vayots Dzor be rejected.
The letter says, “On July 7, 2025, the first public hearing initiated by “Meta Gold” LLC took place at the House of Culture in Yeghegnadzor, Vayots Dzor Region.
The initiative group had previously submitted a written statement to the municipal authorities outlining the anticipated damage and risks the mining operations would pose to the Vayots Dzor Region and Lake Sevan.
These include:
· Permanent and irreversible contamination of land, rendering it unfit for future use
Long-term and costly management of mining waste, including tailings and waste rock, for thousands of years
· Decline in water volume, contamination of water systems, and threats to the cleanliness of the Arpa and Yeghegis Rivers, as well as Lake Sevan
· Disruption and transformation of local geological structures
Loss of vegetation and wildlife
· Degradation of living conditions for local residents
Decrease in both quantity and quality of agricultural products, including viticulture, winemaking, and livestock
· Decline in incomes, worsening of the social situation, increased emigration, and depopulation of communities
· The tailings dam, as well as the Herher and Kechut reservoirs and the Arpa-Sevan tunnel, are unprotected against natural disasters, sabotage, ongoing warfare, and systematic blasting at the mine site - all of which pose a threat to the region’s entire water supply and economy.
We believe the public hearing was conducted in gross violation of the law and therefore issue a negative conclusion. We request Yeghegnadzor consolidated Aldermen’s Council to review the above facts, issue a negative assessment of the hearing, and prohibit further exploration and exploitation of the Gladzor polymetallic mine. This demand is based on the prior decisions of the Aldermen’s Council and a petition signed by 2,248 citizens, 91% of whom expressed opposition to mining activities. We request that the project not be submitted for Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) expert assessment.”
July 17, 2025 at 16:22