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HAKOB SANASARYANCODE ON MINERAL RESOURCES AGAIN CAUSES COLLISION OF INTERESTS BETWEEN OFFICIALS AND GREEN ACTIVISTS
by Karina Manukyan
arminfo
Wednesday, November 23, 01:45
Interview of Chairman of the Green Union of Armenia Hakob Sanasaryan
with ArmInfo
On November 15, the Armenian Parliament adopted a bill "On Mineral
Resources" in the second reading. The document has caused the
discontent of environmentalists and green activists, as the bill allows
developing deposits in the forest sector, and the lack of the notion
"tailings" (i.e. the refuse ore) opens a prospect for the companies
to considerably reduce the tax base. The reasons why the obvious
minuses of the new Code on Mineral Resources have remained unnoticed
again are reflected in the interview of Chairman of the Green Union
of Armenia Hakob Sanasaryan with ArmInfo.
Mr.Sanasaryan, why has the obvious been overlooked?
The tragedy is that the officials themselves get profit from the ore
mining industry. Part of the deposits belongs to well-known people
or to their relatives, who are certainly interested in adoption of
this bill. If the Code on Mineral Resources becomes a reality, the
consequences may be disastrous. In particular, this law will allow
launching large-scale activity in the sphere of ore mining industry.
And as the ore mining companies continue not to pay taxes for tailings
and dead rocks the way they don't today, even the deposits with low
content of metals will become profitable. Consequently, huge damage
will be caused to nature. It turns out that within a short period of
time all the mineral resources in Armenia will be exhausted, and the
country will remain face to face with piles and tailing dumps.
The bill also says that after depletion of the reserves, the
responsibility for the tailings will lie on the state, not companies.
However, this is a big load on the budget.
This is really so. According to foreign experts, it is annually
necessary to spend 1.4 USD on 1 ton of waste in order to isolate the
tailing dump from the environment. It should be taken into account
that the tailings have endangered the human health and nature for
thousands of years. According to the official data for 2003, there
were 13 tailing dumps in the republic, which contain hundreds of
millions of tailings today, and the ore mining companies will bear no
responsibility for them. They will get net profit and the burden of
the tailing dumps will lie on the taxpayers. It is enough to point
out the Artsvanik tailing dump (Kajaran copper-molybdenum plant),
which contains about 700 mln cu m of tailings. It should be noted
that in 2011 alone the Kajaran plant will send about 16 mln tons of
tailings to the tailing dump. Now this tailing dump is full, and the
plant is to build a new tailing dump in a new place.
It should be noted that the state of the tailing dumps has repeatedly
caused the environmentalists' discontent.
I think that the new law "On Mineral Resources" should by all means
have a certain item saying that the tailing dumps should be brought
in compliance with international standards. Unfortunately, now this
issue is neglected. It is demanded abroad that the bottom of a tailing
dump should be isolated from the environment, and the dam should have
a thousand-year warranty. In addition, each ore mining company should
have a program on the tailing dump safety to prevent the consequences
of natural and manmade disasters.
As regards Armenia, if a company is going to develop a deposit for
10-20 years, it displays an unserious attitude to the construction of
tailing dumps, as it is only responsible for the period of development
of the deposit. Unfortunately, the dams in Armenia are made of earth
and rocks, and even of tailings, which is a big crime. Needless to
say about isolation of the bottom. Not a single tailing dump in the
republic has a bottom meeting international standards on isolation.
The process of development of the ore mining industry in Armenia
demonstrates that no laws operate in the country. The tailing dumps
in Armenia are either in the gorges or in the riverbeds. Tukh Manuk
gold deposit of Global Gold company is a bright example of that. The
ore is processed on the spot, and the tailings and other ore mining
waste are in the close vicinity of the river. It should be taken into
account that this river flows into the Aparan reservoir, and therefrom
via the river Kasakh - into the Ararat Valley as irrigation water.
It turns out that there is no control in the ore mining sphere.
The control is only on paper.
Given all this, do you think the new Code on Mineral Resources will
be adopted?
I don't lose hope for justice. I think if the parliamentarians are
provided full information on this issue, the bill will not be adopted.
I know the Parliament has deputies who pursue their own goals
and influence those unaware of the problem by disseminating false
information, hereby urging them to vote for this Code.
by Karina Manukyan
arminfo
Wednesday, November 23, 01:45
Interview of Chairman of the Green Union of Armenia Hakob Sanasaryan
with ArmInfo
On November 15, the Armenian Parliament adopted a bill "On Mineral
Resources" in the second reading. The document has caused the
discontent of environmentalists and green activists, as the bill allows
developing deposits in the forest sector, and the lack of the notion
"tailings" (i.e. the refuse ore) opens a prospect for the companies
to considerably reduce the tax base. The reasons why the obvious
minuses of the new Code on Mineral Resources have remained unnoticed
again are reflected in the interview of Chairman of the Green Union
of Armenia Hakob Sanasaryan with ArmInfo.
Mr.Sanasaryan, why has the obvious been overlooked?
The tragedy is that the officials themselves get profit from the ore
mining industry. Part of the deposits belongs to well-known people
or to their relatives, who are certainly interested in adoption of
this bill. If the Code on Mineral Resources becomes a reality, the
consequences may be disastrous. In particular, this law will allow
launching large-scale activity in the sphere of ore mining industry.
And as the ore mining companies continue not to pay taxes for tailings
and dead rocks the way they don't today, even the deposits with low
content of metals will become profitable. Consequently, huge damage
will be caused to nature. It turns out that within a short period of
time all the mineral resources in Armenia will be exhausted, and the
country will remain face to face with piles and tailing dumps.
The bill also says that after depletion of the reserves, the
responsibility for the tailings will lie on the state, not companies.
However, this is a big load on the budget.
This is really so. According to foreign experts, it is annually
necessary to spend 1.4 USD on 1 ton of waste in order to isolate the
tailing dump from the environment. It should be taken into account
that the tailings have endangered the human health and nature for
thousands of years. According to the official data for 2003, there
were 13 tailing dumps in the republic, which contain hundreds of
millions of tailings today, and the ore mining companies will bear no
responsibility for them. They will get net profit and the burden of
the tailing dumps will lie on the taxpayers. It is enough to point
out the Artsvanik tailing dump (Kajaran copper-molybdenum plant),
which contains about 700 mln cu m of tailings. It should be noted
that in 2011 alone the Kajaran plant will send about 16 mln tons of
tailings to the tailing dump. Now this tailing dump is full, and the
plant is to build a new tailing dump in a new place.
It should be noted that the state of the tailing dumps has repeatedly
caused the environmentalists' discontent.
I think that the new law "On Mineral Resources" should by all means
have a certain item saying that the tailing dumps should be brought
in compliance with international standards. Unfortunately, now this
issue is neglected. It is demanded abroad that the bottom of a tailing
dump should be isolated from the environment, and the dam should have
a thousand-year warranty. In addition, each ore mining company should
have a program on the tailing dump safety to prevent the consequences
of natural and manmade disasters.
As regards Armenia, if a company is going to develop a deposit for
10-20 years, it displays an unserious attitude to the construction of
tailing dumps, as it is only responsible for the period of development
of the deposit. Unfortunately, the dams in Armenia are made of earth
and rocks, and even of tailings, which is a big crime. Needless to
say about isolation of the bottom. Not a single tailing dump in the
republic has a bottom meeting international standards on isolation.
The process of development of the ore mining industry in Armenia
demonstrates that no laws operate in the country. The tailing dumps
in Armenia are either in the gorges or in the riverbeds. Tukh Manuk
gold deposit of Global Gold company is a bright example of that. The
ore is processed on the spot, and the tailings and other ore mining
waste are in the close vicinity of the river. It should be taken into
account that this river flows into the Aparan reservoir, and therefrom
via the river Kasakh - into the Ararat Valley as irrigation water.
It turns out that there is no control in the ore mining sphere.
The control is only on paper.
Given all this, do you think the new Code on Mineral Resources will
be adopted?
I don't lose hope for justice. I think if the parliamentarians are
provided full information on this issue, the bill will not be adopted.
I know the Parliament has deputies who pursue their own goals
and influence those unaware of the problem by disseminating false
information, hereby urging them to vote for this Code.