EcoLur
On October 3 the public hearings of Martz-Prvashen-Budaghidzor gold polymetallic mine demonstration submitted by 'Victoria Silver' LLC were held at Lori Regional Municipality.
'Victoria Silver' LLC Director Gagik Khojayan presented the project:
- 'Victoria Silver' LLC inends to xarry out explorations in Martz-Prvashen-Budaghidzor gold polymetallic mine demonstration to check the reliability of the previous works carried out and then we will carry out geoprospecting for evaluating the reserves, and if yes the outcomes are positive, we are going to mine them. In case of positive outcomes, we plan to drill 10 holes to intersect them in the depth... it's a project for 3 years.
Artak Demirtchyan, Environmental Department Head of Agriculture and Environment Department of Lori Regional Municipality:
- If all the results are positive, will the mining be open or closed?
'Victoria Silver' LLC Director Gagik Khojayan:
- We will draw up rationale. We are definitely for not damaging the nature and closed mining, if it is economically benefitial. Here we have rather good resukts ; 2,700,000 tons of ore, 11 tons of gold reserve, around 30 tons of silver and around 10.000 tons of copper... These are anticipated reserves.
- Gold concentration is expected to be 4.3 gr per ton, silver – 11 gr per ton. Copper – 0.34%, lead – 0.7% and zinc – 1.8%. These concentrations are initial ones.
Question: How many forest lands do you have?
'Victoria Silver' LLC Director Gagik Khojayan: There are mainly forest land areas.
Question: Do you have an agreement with 'ArmForest' SNCO.
'Victoria Silver' LLC Director Gagik Khojayan: Not yet. There are also red-listed plant species.
EcoLur: You are taking machinery there and do explorations, which cause noise and make animals leave the area, you also touch plants, but your project dosn't have any measures.
'Victoria Silver' LLC Director Gagik Khojayan: The machinery is in good condition, CO emissions are within standards, the machinery doesn't leak out any oil, so far this is it. The machinery won't be that musch, we will put a muffler not to make noise.
EcoLur: What are the impacts on the Martz River?
'Victoria Silver' LLC Director Gagik Khojayan: Minimum: the river is already piped in this section, as three SHPPs are being constructed there.
Martz Village Head Robert Galstyan: How will the village benefit and harm?
'Victoria Silver' LLC Director Gagik Khojayan: We will employ the labour force from the communities for our works.
EcoLur: Your project says about inorganic dust, but it doesn’t say anything about the amount of inorganic dust to be emitted and the presence of harmful elements in it.
'Victoria Silver' LLC Director Gagik Khojayan: If we open the way to inorganic dust, this dust will rise.
EcoLur: Article 26 (3) of RA Code on Subsoil bans any mining in places of red-listed species, what kind of measures will you take not to violate the code?
'Victoria Silver' LLC Director Gagik Khojayan: We have submitted the environmental impact assessment for the environmental expertise, it will undergo expertise, if something is wrong, they will give it back. It says we are guided by laws.
Lorut Village Head Hrachya Sahakyan: Let’s build the road running to the village.
'Victoria Silver' LLC Director Gagik Khojayan: The ground of the road is good one, if it’s asphalted, it will be worn out. It would be much better, if the road along the SPPs is asphalted.
Lorut Village Head Hrachya Sahakyan: I have told them, they are not doing it.
Martz and Lorut Village Head mentioned that the majority of their villagers support creating working places. The initiative of 'Victoria Silver' LLC was assessed positively.
It should be mentioned that EcoLur carried out a poll about villagers’ awareness on the public hearings in Vanadzor and Martz. None of the surveyed was aware of it.
October 06, 2014 at 17:56