EcoLur
EcoLur has addressed a letter to the Ministry of Emergency States asking to provide the copy of the opinion provided by 'National Center for Technical Safety' SNCO of the Ministry on the technical safety of Nahatak and Teghout tailing dumps and risk management and mitigation procedures or programs of the tailing dumps. The letter says, ““Armenia Strategic Mineral Sector Sustainability Assessment” report implemented with the support of the World Bank says that Nahatak and Teghout tailing dumps are considered to be the most risky ones. These two tailing dumps have the same evaluation in the report, 'The TSF design is inadequate, both in environmental and physical stability terms. The TSF has the potential to result in medium to long-term environmental impacts due to the presence of ARD-producing materials. (“Armenia Strategic Mineral Sector Sustainability Assessment” report, p. 126).'
Taking into consideration that the mentioned tailing dumps, according to the report, have been constructed with the upstream raise slope project, which is not acceptable for seismic-risky ones, while an earthquake was reported to occur on 6 and 7 June in Lori Region in Armenia and taking into consideration the fact that the collapse of the tailing dumps may cause serious consequences, as well as death tolls and taking into account the alarm signals of the local population, incorrect construction of the tailing dumps, water leaks from the tailing dumps, soil pollution and the fact that neither 'Teghout' CJSC nor 'Akhtala Ore Processing Combine' CJSC presented the public the opinionfs of the relevant governmental departments on the state of the tailing dumps both in their construction and operation stages, we would like to ask 'National Center for Technical Safety' SNCO of the Ministry to provide its opinion on the on the technical safety of Nahatak and Teghout tailing dumps and risk management and mitigation procedures or programs of the tailing dumps, which include emergency action plans for the neighboring communities.
We would like to ask to advise us whether the Ministry for the Emergency States has studied the effect of the quakes on the tailing dumps in Lori Region, if yes, please provide us with the outcomes, problems detected and assignments given.'
June 11, 2018 at 14:25