EcoLur
“Zangezour Copper and Molybdenum Combine” CJSC is planning to increase mining volumes of Qajaran copper and molybdenum mine and make it annually 22 million tons. In this regard, the company will hold a public discussion on changing the mining project of Qajaran copper and molybdenum mine reserves, Syunik Region, (including change in mining volumes expansion of mine galleries, prolongation of permit duration) at 15:00 on 15 October at 18 Lernagortsneri St., Qajaran Town, Syunik Region.
The announcement on the public discussion says that activities are planned to be implemented in Kapan, Qajaran, Lernadzor, Syunik, Artsvanik, Sevaqar and Atchanan town and rural communities, but it doesn’t specify what kind of activities will be implemented in each community.
According to the project, the water from Voghji, Geghi and Sakqar rivers will be used for the needs of the ore dressing plant and the open pit: annual water need makes up 68.82 million cum. Nevertheless the project doesn’t mention the hydrological data of the rivers. A question arises whether the rivers can ensure that much water for the company under the conditions of the climate change simultaneously leaving environmental water in the rivers and sufficient irrigation water.
The wastes will be placed in Dzorateghi (Darazami) with 90 million cum capacity and Sakhqar Su (Spitakjur) with 34.115 million cum capacity, which was operated in 1970-1979. The project doesn’t mention how much wastes will be placed in other tailing dumps.
Explosion works will be carried out, but the project doesn’t mention anything about dust spreading and pollution of atmospheric air.
According to the project, the number of trees and bushes in the areas adjacent to ZCMC ore dressing plant, open pit and Artsvanik tailing dump accounts for large figures (26.1%) as compared with the percentage of their biological forms in Armenian flora (10%). Nevertheless, the project doesn’t mention how many trees will be cut down for the expansion works of the mine.
The project also says something about reclaiming. The surfaces and edges of the wastes will be reclaimed, roads will be covered will soil and vegetation layers, while in the area of the open pit it’s planned, “…a landscape design may be established due to water collection in the bottom of the open pit with an artificial lake and recreation zone.”
The project doesn’t mention either when the reserves of Qajaran copper and molybdenum mine will be exhausted.
October 13, 2015 at 16:21