Thursday, December 18 2014

Mining industry has leading positions
in terms of environmental damage in Armenia, Inga Zarafyan, Head of EcoLur NGO,
told ArmInfo.  

 

Zarafyans said that the mining companies receive
"OK" despite the obvious environmental risks and the resistance of
public and experts.  He pointed out the
example of the project of development of Meghrasar gold deposit by AT
Metals. 

 

Earlier the environmentalists said that 60% of the
deposit is located in Arevik National Park. Zarafyan pointed out that the
development of the deposit will inflict a huge damage to the whole southern
part of the country. Nevertheless, AT Metals received a positive environmental
conclusion. 

 

The provision of the status of a Biosphere Complex to
a number of protected areas in Southern Armenia was a big flaw in this
matter.  The matter concerns Shikahogh
reserve, Arevik National Park, Zangezur and Khustup partial reserves, Plane-Tree
Grove. All of them occupy an area of about 60 thsd ha.  

 

Each of these protected areas had its own clear
boundaries. Having become a part of the Biosphere Complex, all these areas lost
their legal status and the Complex has no boundaries of its own yet, she said.

 

While the new projects of deposit development receive
"a green light", the problems related to the condition of the tailing
dumps remain unresolved. The law qualifies them as secondary technogenic
deposits and imposes no taxes on them. "Moreover, they have no passports
and they are registered nowhere with specific content and certain risks",
she said.

 

Zarafyan added that in the communities adjacent to the
deposits, the state does not survey the impact of the mines on human health. The
matter concerns first of Kajaran, Kapan, Alaverdi and Akhtala.  

 

Earlier experts pointed out that nearly 450 deposits
are being developed in Armenia. They have also repeatedly pointed out the lack
of accurate methods of assessment of the mining industry impact on the
environment.