azatutyun.am, Karine Simonyan
The re-operation works of Teghout mine have already re-launched, Russia-based businessman Norayr Petroyan said during his meeting with ex-workers of the mine, who is willing to make investments in the re-operation of the mine having closed down over one year ago.
MP Aren Mkrtchyan also took part in the meeting with the ex-employers. He told the Azatutyun that rehabilitation works have already launched in Teghout: the machinery having not operated for year has been exposed to technical weariness, there are problems with infrastructures and currently wide-scale rehabilitation is in progress, which is estimated to last up to 2 months.
“A part, a significant part of the ex employees will already be involved in the rehabilitation works and afterwards the mine will be re-operated, where 1200 employees will be engaged according to our estimates,” Mkrtchyan noted.
The investor said that works are also being carried out in regard to the fortification of the tailing dump. When the mine was closed down there was a statement that there is a threat of a serious accident in the tailing dump. Last year the mine was handed to the VTB Bank against outstanding loan obligations in the amount of around 400 million USD, which engaged an investor and a new operator – a Bulgarian mining company has been selected to operate the mine, as the MP said.
“I would like to outline that it is impermissible for us to have a mining in Teghout as it used to be causing social and environmental disasters, so the government will exercise supervisory functions for its part for the re-operation of the mine. I hope and I am sure that there will be completely new approaches and completely new-quality mining will start in this section,” Mkrtchyan stressed out.
April 05, 2019 at 12:23