Armenian News Network / Groong
The Deadly Mines in “Armenia’s Breaking Backbone”
Armenian News Network / Groong
July 16, 2018
By Houry Ellezian
MONTREAL, CANADA
The “Armenian
Environmental Front ՀԲՃ” published a crucial documentary film
in 2013, (1 hour 8 min long), titled “Հայաստանի կոտրվող ողնաշարը” or “Armenia’s
Breaking Backbone”. They have been struggling and producing evidence after evidence
ever since.
“Հայաստանի կոտրվող ողնաշարը” or
“Armenia’s Breaking Backbone”
In the light of current events, loud protests and road blockages to
stop mining in Amulsar by the environmentalists and
inhabitants of the region (including alert people of Armenia) versus protests in
favor of the mine (essentially by those who have been promised work and money, and
convinced by the logic that everybody is robbing the bank so why can’t we) for yet
another and more dangerous mine planned to be exploited in Amulsar
by Lydian International, about to poison waters of Jermuk
and lake Sevan, it is absolutely necessary to shed
light on the history of mines and their present conditions in Armenia.
Historical Background:
“Metallurgical extraction has deep roots in Armenia. Copper mining
started in the 1770s in Alaverdi city in Lori province,
1840s in Kapan, and mid-20th century in Kajaran. During years of the Soviet Union, the mining
giants of Armenia were the Kapan Copper-smelting, Alaverdi Metallurgical mine, Agarak
Copper-Molybdenum Combine, Zod (Sotk)
Gold Combine, and Ararat Gold Recovery Plant. In Soviet Union standards, Soviet
Armenia had a significant weight in the production of colored metals. Armenia
had the third place in the USSR in copper production after Russia and
Kazakhstan. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, state-owned mining
companies were gradually privatized until the mid-2000s. Currently, the state
has no share in the mining industry.” http://ampop.am/mining-transparency-in-armenia/
The
documentary film:
As per the
film, Armenia is rich in all kinds of metals and minerals. The government (previous)
considered the mining sector as the most lucrative of investments. There are
670 mines in Armenia within an area of 29,000 m2. 400 of these are
currently being exploited (2013 data). This number has risen to 431 (2016 data),
30 of which are metallic ores, mostly rich in copper molybdenum and gold. The
average wage of workers in this sector is 345 thousand drams, two times higher
than the average wage in Armenia, considering its risky nature. http://ampop.am/mining-transparency-in-armenia/
In Armenia
there are 19 (data of 2013) tailing dams of leftover poisonous chemicals or TAILING
STORAGE SITES comprising 200 million m3. But roughly speaking, in Artsvanik (Արծվանիկ) alone, the tailing dam (պոչամբար) is 300 million m3 of
poisonous waste. The information given about these tailing sites is not accurate
according to the documentary because a number of operating dams are missing
from the inventory, for instance Hanqasar
(Հանքասար).
Hanqasar
“It is the
world’s rule of law, that if an independent country is sitting on mines, its
independency days are numbered. Two large Governments will come and hang this
country from its feet”. In the map demonstrated in the film, we observe 6 Russian,
3 German, 1 United States, 1 United Kingdom, 1 Chinese and 1 Canadian mining companies, altogether amounting to $170,000,000,000. This
has risen to $239 billion according to 2016 data. http://ampop.am/mining-transparency-in-armenia/
These mining
companies include Vallex Group, LYDIAN International,
GEOTHEM[e] (French research group?), Sterlite Gold Limited (apparently for sale) and GPM GeoProMining (Georgian?), CRONIMET (German). CRONIMET
Mining says on its website that it “currently produces at two locations in
Armenia and South Africa. These two production locations enable us to meet a
significant proportion of the global demand for commodities”. (http://www.cronimet-mining.com/en/at-a-glance/locations/).
In the
documentary, a poster showcasing these companies says: “Don’t worry Armenia,
we’ll go away when we finish”. According to Ampop,
they may take from 100 to 120 years.
“The
constitution of Independent Republic of Armenia clearly states that the soil, the
underground wealth, the water and other natural resources belong to the
Armenian people.”
Teghut Mine: (not
in the film) “is a major copper and molybdenum open-pit mine in Armenia's
northern province of Lori in the village of Teghut
with deposits valued at $15.5 billion USD (in 2010). In December 2014, Vallex Group launched production operations at the mine,
which is a $380 million USD project. In February 2018 Vallex
Group published a statement announcing suspension of all operations and laying
off nearly all staff. Vallex, which is run and at
least partly owned by Russian-Armenian businessman Valeri
Mejlumyan, claims to have already invested almost
$340 million in Teghut. It has borrowed the bulk of
that money from VTB, a leading Russian bank. In 2013, the company also
attracted $62 million in funding from a Danish pension fund which was due to be
partly or fully channeled into purchases of metallurgical equipment. In 2017
Danish state agency has decided to withdraw already issued export credit
guarantees to mine operators accusing its private owner of failing to comply
with environmental standards.” (Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teghut_Mine).
As news of Debed River pollution from this mine surfaced, responsible
for causing “serious ecological disaster“ with “cross-border consequences
considering that Debed River flows to Georgia”. Additional
information, photos and video in this link: http://www.armecofront.net/en/news/what-is-going-on-at-teghut-mine-video/
Kajaran or Qacharan: (both spellings found) Kajaran is considered one of the world’s biggest mines. “The
death of Kajaran” exclaims the environmentalist, “these
miracle mountain chains that are being eaten away day after day, taken away,
plundered. The mine is approaching the village of Kajaran
and they still want to remove the rest of the mountains”. In “DEC
22, 2011 the governor insults the eco-activists and asks them to mind their own
business and not interfere in his work - note: the activists are in a small
village Qacharan protesting with the villagers
against the exploitation of a mine that is hazardous to the health of the
population surrounding the area. They are asking the governor to not hand in
the area for more mining exploitation.”
Zangezur: the great Zangezur Copper
Molybdenum Combine, (official website: http://www.zcmc.am/),
is considered one of the richest and 7% of the world’s production. Molybdenum is used in atomic reactors,
weapons and missiles. It was established in 1951 as a governmental undertaking.
The mine is rich in other elements such as copper, rhenium, tellurium, gold, silver,
selenium, and other rare and precious elements. In 2004 it was sold to a German
company for only $132 million US, on the premise that metal values were going
down and we would go bankrupt soon. In 2005, a year after it was sold, the
yearly production reached to $190 million US dollars. The Zangezur Combine
was divided into the following shares: German Chronimet
Mining – 60%, «Մագուր
Երկաթի Գործարան»
ԲԲԸ or “Clean Iron Plant”– 15%, “Armenian Molybdenum Production” ՍՊԸ - 12.5%, Zangezur Mining – 12.5%.
Hakop Sanasaryan, president of Armenia’s
Greens Union, describes how Kajaran’s mine has
reached low elevations, creating a big crater, where it is easy for surface
waters to dissolve and pollute underground waters. The mine
which has become a deadly poisonous area extends 3 km in length, 2 km in
width and 500 meters in depth, occupying an area of 340 hectares. This is only
according to 2007 data.
“Zangezur’s
Combine has the allowance to remove 12.5 million tons / year, but documents of
2011 prove that 15 to 17 million tons / year are put into production. According
to the director Maxim Hakobyan they intend to raise exploitation
to 25 million tons / year. The exploiter thus has increased productivity openly
without having any legal allowance from the authorities.”
Hratchia Avakian, geologist and PhD
holder, says it should not be allowed to remove more than 9 million tons from Kajaran.
“The reason behind this increase in
activity, are the officials themselves, with their
near sighted policy, by creating good business conditions for mining companies,
thus facilitating a speedy plunder of Armenia’s resources.”
Levon Galstyan, member of “Armenian
Environmental Front” and advisor committee says: “mining companies got rid of
paying taxes for the pollution they caused. In other countries they pay taxes
for transporting poisonous materials. What to do when there are blissful conditions for
foreign mining companies to exploit and transfer materials outside the republic
and plunder the country, leaving their citizens with the deadly consequences.”
“These politicians’ actions are such
that there is no word on future planning or military policies. Armenia has
become a delight for foreign investors. The fact of the matter is, these
government officials themselves own businesses in the mining sector and therefore
have created laws that suit their own personal agendas.“
A mining employee says: “they do not
care to take proper care of their employees. Let them try and live with such
little labor and pay taxes. I challenge them if they can last for forty days.”
What happens to
these poisonous tailing storage sites after closure:
”The mines’ greatest “gifts” are
these remnant basins” say the experts standing right in front of them. “Zangezur’s operating mine already has 3 closed basins and 1
active, containing 95 million m3 to date. In 2003 it was considered
among the largest tailings storage site in the world”. The workers are treated
badly and like slaves: “If your eye is hurting a little they send you home.
Nobody is interested in your wellbeing” says a mine
worker.”
“The surface of these remnant poisonous dams later are being
covered with soil of about half a meter thickness and planted by villagers. The produce is being consumed by them and cows are grazing
on these artificial pastures. But you can imagine their long term effects.”
“The produce was tested and the
findings were bad. Heavy metals and even mercury which was not expected, was
found”, says the nutrition expert David Pipoyan. https://www.azatutyun.am/a/28901192.html
“However surprising, Yerevan
residents have a greater risk than Akhtala and Kapan residents, where there are large mines (the center
has previously conducted a survey)."They bring food to different regions
of the country, so the numbers are average," says Pipoyan.”
https://armeniasputnik.am/society/20180210/10479029/mterq-snndakarg-mterq.html
In another study published by Ամփոփ.am, May 15, 2018, between the years 2006 -2016, birth defects show an
increase by 30%. Five causes are listed, one of them is environmental. Another one is the mother’s
nutrition which again comes back to water-soil contamination, to produce, to
environment.
http://ampop.am/birth-anomalies-and-child-mortality-in-armenia/
Keghi: The environmentalists are watching a spectacle: the
dirty waters are running through pipes and pouring into the natural river system.
Extremely bad odor is coming out of them as they are bubbling away. “Look what
they have done to our beautiful valley. The polluted byproducts have invaded
and filled the valley”. In 2009 Levon Galstyan had drunk from the clear water of Keghi, “now you can’t look at it” he says, “it is
completely ruined”. He spots another basin of dirt in the beautiful valley. Yet another spectacle is in sight; a ruptured
pipe carrying the dirty water is hidden with sand bags, the environmentalists look
underneath and find out dirty waters spilling outside into the soil.
“All this damage
and destruction is happening to our beautiful country, because a few people
want to be rich. The money from this
sector is leaving Armenia and flowing into the offshore accounts of our known
oligarchs.”
“A ton of copper today is taken out
of Armenia for $2200 US while pure copper in international markets is valued at
$7500 US. Armenia thus, has been converted into a third world country and is
serving as a mining attaché to well-developed countries.”
Dastakerd: “a good example of older exploited mine. What is the
population doing in those areas? What are we left with when all is over?”
Population was 650 says a villager and much earlier it had a population of 5 to
6000 (thousand) today left with 350 people, the majority of whom are refugees
from Baku. “Whatever they say to cover up and show that everything is fine, numbers
are saying otherwise.”
“Another example of abandoned mine
is Gavardi, where the water dams are
covered with colorful metallic poisons and the view is chilling.”
“In Armenia, according to 2011
statistics, people working in the mining sector are 15,000 that is 0.5% of the
total population.”
Lijk or Լիճք: there is another mine near the village of Lijk called Zvar. A villager
there was interviewed: “In the whole village only two people, I and the doctor
were against it, the rest were in need of jobs, so after long arguments they
agreed to the deadly project”. He says “they are offering
you money, a million dollar, and then poison you and your family; future
generations and the entire village will disappear. Why should we have to accept
that? We were living in a clean environment before”.
Tashtun: “At this moment in Syunik another mining crime is being
committed, in Tashtun”. Just at that moment a truck is spotted
emptying its load downhill, into the local river. The site is being prepared
for construction of bases for which the land is being excavated. The
environmentalist says “please show us your licenses
and explain your plans on this site”, and the man says “please show us your
documents and rights”. The environmentalist says “you
should have a poster indicating your legal rights and the kind of project being
realized here, if you don’t have that, I should call the police”. There was a
long argument and in the end no legal document was produced.
“The international mining mafia chains, and
evidently their various local chain contributors, have subjected Armenia to an ecological
disaster. Armenia’s authorities and their foreign counterparts are pretending
as though they are developing the country from the income of the mining
industry. For over 20 years, mines are being exploited inside independent Armenia.
Why then up to date the partisan Armenian man is not living in this developed
country? Why would there be so much emigration from a developed country? Is in
fact Armenia safe, when borderline villages are being emptied? Is Armenia in
fact able to exist with a broken backbone? “
Illegal mining in Armenia
“We were in Syunik for only 5 days and
within that time we witnessed so many illegal activities. Let’s look at the
map: only in Syunik there are 11 metallic ores. Until the year 2016, 28 other
metallic ores are waiting to be exploited. That makes 39 metallic ores only in
one province, 4506 km2 area. 12 large and small tailing storages already exist
in Syunik.”
“A question is raised: where should
a human being, animal, plant and river exist? Syunik is already facing
environmental, health and sociological problems. If the existing mines keep
functioning with additional ones as planned, in 15-20 years we can cross out
the province of Syunik as a habitable area. And if this machine continues its triumphant
path, the same is awaiting for the rest of Armenia as well as Artsakh.”
“We go to sleep every day but the
sleepless mining machine works day and night, 12 months a year, poisoning our soil,
air and water. This is war without guns, a war where we are facing defeat after
defeat and for this disaster we are all responsible. With our indifference and ignorance we are
losing that which is supposed to secure our children’s future. We would wake up
one day and discover that our homeland is in the midst of a useless soil, ‘desertified’
and dangerous to live.”
Klatsor New
mining in Kapan
Sotk
or Zod Gold Ore
References:
- armecofront «Հայաստանի
Կոտրվող Ողնաշարը» or
“Armenia’s Breaking Backbone”
Published on Nov 4, 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrrDzuZ9RG4
- Հայաստանի հանքերի շահագործման թափանցիկությունը Transparency of Armenia’s Mines’ Exploitatiom http://ampop.am/mining-transparency-in-armenia/
- Indian Firm Accused Of Misusing Armenia’s Gold Reserves (must read article) https://www.azatutyun.am/a/1579304.html
- Երեւանում «ուտում ենք» նույնքան ծանր մետաղներ, որքան Սյունիքում
In Yerevan “we are eating” as much heavy metals as in Syunik. http://hetq.am/arm/news/83893/
- Հետազոտություն․ Երևանցիները սպառում են ծանր մետաղներով աղտոտված միրգ ու բանջարեղեն. Research: People in Yerevan are consuming fruit and vegetable contaminated with heavy metals. https://www.azatutyun.am/a/28901192.html
- Կաթի ու մսի հետ մկնդեղ, սնդիկ ու նիկել են ուտում . We are eating arsenic, mercury and nickel with milk and meat. https://www.aravot.am/2012/05/10/296986/
- Նենգ «անհայտները» խցկվել են հայերի սննդակարգ. ի՞նչ է լինում մթերքի հետ ամռանն ու ձմռանը. Deceitful “unknowns” have intruded in Armenians’ diet. What is happening with nutrition during winter and summer? https://armeniasputnik.am/society/20180210/10479029/mterq-snndakarg-mterq.html
- Հանքարդյունահանման շրջաններում աճեցվող գյուղմթերքն աղտոտված է ծանր և թունահարույց մետաղներով Agricultural products grown in mining areas are polluted
with heavy and toxic metals.
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