"Teghout" CJSC Planning To Develop Teghout Copper and Molybdenum Open Mine of Second Order

"Teghout" CJSC Planning To Develop Teghout Copper and Molybdenum Open Mine of Second Order

Teghut CJSC plans to develop the area of ​​the second line of Teghut copper and molybdenum mine in Lori Region. The company has submitted a Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) application to Environment Ministry. The second round of public discussion on the application will be held on September 2, 2021 at 12:30 in Shnogh Community Municipality in Lori Region.

We did not find any information about the first public hearings on the official website of Shnogh Municipality. Shnogh Community Head Davit Ghumashyan told EcoLur that the first public hearing was held several months ago and was attended by both local government representatives and residents. "The first public hearing was like familiarizing, there were several issues that we raised. It was a normal discussion, an objective one," he said.

Teghut copper and molybdenum mine is developed by "Teghut" CJSC within the framework of SHATV-29/376 permit for mineral extraction issued on February 20, 2013. The validity period of the permit is set for 2001-2026. By decision N1278-N of RA Government dated on November 1, 2007, Teghut CJSC was provided with 200.9 hectares of land under the open pit lease for 50 years for the implementation of the Teghut copper-molybdenum mine development program.

The planned activity will be carried out within the ranges of the above-mentioned 200.9 hectare area. Mountain allocation area LV-376 issued to ​​"Teghut" CJSC is 1544.6 hectares. The main and auxiliary facilities of the mine and ore dressing complex are located within the mountain allocation.

In case of operation of the second open pit mine, productivity increase is not envisaged. The company will continue to produce 7 million tons of ore a year. The extracted ore reserves will be about 110 million tons within the final boundary.

During the construction and operation of the second open-pit open pit, about 76 hectares of land demarcated by the mountain allocation act will be disturbed, where, according to preliminary estimates, there are about 380.0 thousand cubic meters of brown forest fertile land. At present, as a result of the operation of the first open pit mine, an area of​​about 220 hectares has already been disturbed.

The areas requested for the second-line expansion pit are included in the 357-hectare forest-covered areas to be cut down by Teghut CJSC, as agreed with RA authorized public administration bodies. Additional forest-covered areas will not be disturbed during the construction and operation of the open pit. The volume of excavation rocks will be about 80000.0 thousand cubic meters.

The project does not address the safety issues of the tailing dump economy. It should be reminded that the Bulgarian “Geotechmin” Company conducted a study on the stability of  Teghut tailing dump, whereas its results are still unknown to the public.

As a result of the operation of the second open pit, 33.4529 t/year of ore dust will be released from the open pit, 150.2033 t/year of inorganic dust from the landfill site.

406.0 thousand cubic meters/year of fresh water will be drawn from the Debed River for the production needs of the open pit, 3.5 thousand cubic meters/year for domestic needs from the Alaverdi Noyemberyan water pipeline.

It is envisaged to discharge 2800 cubic meters/year of cleared waste from the open pit area into "BIOX-30B" autonomous biological station into the Pijut River.

September 01, 2021 at 17:49