On October 27, 2025, during an extraordinary session, the Council of Yeghegis Community in Vayots Dzor Region unanimously rejected the application submitted by “Mendia Resources” LLC to extend by three years the term of geological prospecting at the Vardenis gold-polymetallic prospecting site.
Reminder: on September 18, 2025, during public hearings held in Vardahovit village of Yeghegis consolidated community, local residents voiced concerns about risks to agriculture, water resources, and their health. Residents demanded that the hearings be annulled.
It should also be noted that a positive expert conclusion for geological work at Vardenis polymetallic prospect was issued in 2022, despite opposition from the Vayots Dzor Regional Administration and Yeghegis community residents.
It should be noted that GeoMining had also filed applications to conduct metal exploration in the Vardenis mining area in 2015 and 2017.
According to the project, the company planned to search for gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, and molybdenum across a 195 km² (19,483.56 ha) area, covering the administrative territories of Yeghegis and Malishka communities in Vayots Dzor Region, as well as Tsovinar, Artsvanist, and Kartchaghbyur communities in Gegharkunik Region.
The application stated that exploration activities in the area had been ongoing since 2012, and that three prospective sites-“Eagle,” “Bear,” and “Haze”-had been identified, each with different types of mineralization.
In the previous application, the company had also planned to explore these sites.
However, during the public consultation organized in Tsovinar community, local residents refused to allow the hearing to take place and rejected the application.
“Mendia Resources” LLC was registered in 2021. According to Armenia’s State Registry of Legal Entities under the Ministry of Justice, in 2022 the company had two owners: Armenian citizen Lilit Aramyan (15% share) and Australian citizen Dennis J. Moore (85% share).
Since 2023, 99% of the company’s shares have been owned by Lilit Aramyan, while the remaining 1% owner is not publicly disclosed.
October 27, 2025 at 14:43