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EARTHLY CONCERN: ENVIRONMENTALISTS WORRY OVER MINING NEAR JERMUK
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow
02.12.11
Photo: www.wikipedia.org
Environmentalists are worried that the open exploitation of the gold
mine in Amulsar, 16 kilometers outside Jermuk, Vayots Dzor province,
will cause great damage to the region in terms of pollution and
will harm the ecosystem of the area, known for its mineral water and
health sanitariums.
Environmentalists worry that blasting for minerals will release heavy
metals into the air.
"Cyanide in the air will cause respiratory tract problems," says
Knarik Grigoryan, head of Armenian Women for Health and Healthy
Environment (AWHHE) NGO. "This fine powder, which can be spread
up to 30 kilometers, covers plants, passes to the animal chain and
eventually reaches us [people]."
The exploitation of the mine will be realized by British 'Lydian
International' company and its subsidiary 'Geotim' company, which
was granted a license and can proceed exploitation at will.
Armen Stepanyan, manager on environmental and social affairs of
'Geotim' company, not sharing environmentalists' concerns, says that
a subtle percentage of uranium has been revealed during a geological
survey. According to Stepanyan, the samples of ore have been sent to
the Czech Republic, and have been checked in terms of the existence
of radioactive elements in them, and they correspond to the strictest
demands.
Hydro-ecologist Ruben Yadoyan told ArmeniaNow that the explosions in
the mine will affect the earth's interior in the region.
"One should not play with the earth's crust. Who can insure us that
the cracks which will appear on the surface of the earth after the
expositions will not be closed and the mineral water will not change
the direction of flow? Heavy metals may appear in the water. How is
it possible to do such a thing under so close to Jermuk?" Yadoyan says.
From: A. Papazian
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow
02.12.11
Photo: www.wikipedia.org
Environmentalists are worried that the open exploitation of the gold
mine in Amulsar, 16 kilometers outside Jermuk, Vayots Dzor province,
will cause great damage to the region in terms of pollution and
will harm the ecosystem of the area, known for its mineral water and
health sanitariums.
Environmentalists worry that blasting for minerals will release heavy
metals into the air.
"Cyanide in the air will cause respiratory tract problems," says
Knarik Grigoryan, head of Armenian Women for Health and Healthy
Environment (AWHHE) NGO. "This fine powder, which can be spread
up to 30 kilometers, covers plants, passes to the animal chain and
eventually reaches us [people]."
The exploitation of the mine will be realized by British 'Lydian
International' company and its subsidiary 'Geotim' company, which
was granted a license and can proceed exploitation at will.
Armen Stepanyan, manager on environmental and social affairs of
'Geotim' company, not sharing environmentalists' concerns, says that
a subtle percentage of uranium has been revealed during a geological
survey. According to Stepanyan, the samples of ore have been sent to
the Czech Republic, and have been checked in terms of the existence
of radioactive elements in them, and they correspond to the strictest
demands.
Hydro-ecologist Ruben Yadoyan told ArmeniaNow that the explosions in
the mine will affect the earth's interior in the region.
"One should not play with the earth's crust. Who can insure us that
the cracks which will appear on the surface of the earth after the
expositions will not be closed and the mineral water will not change
the direction of flow? Heavy metals may appear in the water. How is
it possible to do such a thing under so close to Jermuk?" Yadoyan says.
From: A. Papazian