Environmentalists continue expressing concerns about the Ayrum tailing dump. According to Chairman of the Green Union of Armenia Hakob Sanasaryan, the tailings have come very close to the local road and may well cause its collapse.
"Besides, the residents of the nearby villages of Chochkan and Ayrum keep complaining that they are forced to inhale dust containing heavy metals," Sanasaryan said, noting that heavy metals in the air may cause serious respiratory problems.
The Ayrum tailing dump belongs to the Akhtala Ore Mining and Processing Combine (owned by the Metal Prince company).
Earlier Sanasaryan complained that waste from the Shamlukh complex deposit (another project by Metal Prince) was thrown directly into the nearby gorge.