EcoLur
Amulsar open pit gold mining and heap leach facility found its supporter among the government - Economy Minister Karen Tchshmarityan. “As a result of Amulsar, in 2016-2017 we will have 12-14 tons of gold alloy produced. Thus, the project immediately becomes effective…” the minister told the journalists.
Karen Tchshmarityan’s wish to open as many gold and copper-molybdenum mines as possible in Armenia is not new. During his holding office as Minister of Trade and Economic Development from 2002 to 2007 (then it was reformed into Ministry of Economy) the mining industry acquired disastrous sizes, while the profit started actively flowing into offshore zones.
In this sense, the transaction on the privatization of Qajaran ore processing complex was significant in 2004, when a working enterprise with ore reserves of 2.2 billion tons and costing billions of dollars, was “sold” at a price of 132 million USD with payment installments of 5 years.
German Chronimet Company, which didn’t particularly deal with mining at that time, received 60% from the transaction and went to the offshore zone, and changed its name becoming Cronimet Mining. Having over a century of experience, however, a modest one in metallurgy, after such a significant transaction had a drastic rise in mining and in 2005 opened businesses in Canada, US, Great Britain, China, Sweden etc.
In Armenia the obtained money was enough for the following: 30% or US % 32.1 million were directed to the budget of Qajaran Town, 70% or US $ 74.9 to special privatized account, while the remaining US $ 25 million were directed to the state budget in the form of non-tax income.
Another wonderful transaction is the privatization of Kapan ore dressing combine with a mountainous right to Shahumyan gold-polymetallic mine development, which сost only US $ 3 million. After this transaction the enterprise was resold and its assets are currently valued dozen times more.
Before leaving his office of minister and becoming a MP, Karen Tchshmarityan managed to prepare bases for Teghut projet and the new government only had to approve the documentation package in November 2007.
Definitely Karen Tchshmarityan is not the only and even not the main person in charge in all these suspicious transactions. But he is an active participant and now again holding the office of the minister he proceeded to a good business – advocating the field, where our natural wealth goes to others’ pockets for a penny, while we are left with destroyed land areas, polluted rivers and springs.
The Minister’s approaches lack even an iota of factual damages for natural resources, environment, the vision of the economy for the future of the country for 10-15 years also lacks. The Minister probably doesn’t know that the gold in Amulsar accounts for only 0.8-0.9 g per one ton of ore. Instead of 12 tons of gold, we will have 12 million tons of wastes with high concentration of arsenic, lead and cadmium. He probably doesn’t know that Amulsar rises over Jermuk and it may eliminate this unique resort zone. He doesn’t know that Amulsar may have impact on Lake Sevan. He doesn’t know but he shares his ignorance with great pleasure and makes fatal decisions.
Photo by PhotoLur
September 30, 2014 at 13:25