EcoLur
"Baktek-Eco" LLC intends to extract gold in Arjut with sodium cyanide: On 6 August 2015, at 12:00, the public discussion on the construction of ore processing plant for Arjut mine will be held at Arjut Rural Municipality.
Reminder: “Environmental Expertise” SNCO of Nature Protection Ministry issued a positive opinion to Arjut gold mining project submitted by “Baktek Eco” LLC. The opinion was issued on 8 October 2014. 2,231,300 tons of Arjut ore contains 3080.9 kg of gold, 17.64 tons of silver and 6821 tons of copper, while 192,400 tons of oxidized ore contains 386.50 kg of gold and 2.75 tons of silver. The mine will be developed in opencast manner, in two stages.
In case of issuing a positive opinion, the ore processing plant for Arjut mine will be constructed within the administrative area of Arjut community not far from Arjut mine.
It is located in a distance of 17 km from Vanadzor Town. Nevertheless, the project doesn’t say how far the plant will be located from the residential houses in Arjut. The construction area of the plant is located in 8-9 magnitude seismic zone. The project doesn’t assess seismic risk and measures to be taken in case of a probable risk.
The plant will annually process 100,000 tons of ore with sodium cyanide, the final product will be doré metal. The project doesn’t say how much space the plant will occupy, but still it’s known that the surface of the sodium cyanide will make up 270 cum, it will store up to 50 tons of sodium cyanide, while the plant will annually need 150 tons of sodium cyanide. Besides sodium cyanide, annually 100 tons of lime, 25 tons of sodium hypochlorite, 3 tons of sodium hydroxide, 10 tons of hydrochloric acid and 3 tons of active carbon. Annually 36.7 tons of dust will be emitted into the atmosphere - HCN – 0.3 tons, HCl – 0.02 tons.
“The ore processing will result in “dry” tails, which are located immediately in the area of the plant. Dry tails are not classified as wastes, as they can be further used for deeper extraction due to technology development.” The project doesn’t say how much dry tails will be produced and how much area they will occupy, how they will be stored not to pollute the environment.
The project doesn’t say what kind of impact the plant will have on the Pambak River and where it will take water from. Annually 6792.6 cum drinking water will be used for making solutions, drinking and household needs. The plant will employ 53 people.
August 04, 2015 at 16:27