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BUSINESSMAN: RUSSIA INTERESTED IN IMPORT OF ARMENIAN PERLITE
ARMINFO News Agency
16/01/2013
Today Russia like during the Soviet period of time needs import of
Armenian perlite, Suren Gevorgyan, President of the Board of director
of Karakert Stone-Working Plant OJSC, the holder of the 50% stake in
the company, told ArmInfo.
He said that yet in 2007 Armenia and Russia made an interstate
agreement implying resumption of import of Armenian perlite. Then
prime minister of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and Transport Minister of
Russia Igor Levitin signed the agreement. A year before, in 2006,
an agreement was made with RAO UES on launching a joint production
at the plant. However, the agreement was not implemented due to some
"absurd reasons."
"It can be called nothing but crime when RAO UES transfers $300,000
to the plant's account, makes an agreement on investments in the
amount of $30 million, but all that remains on the paper," Gevorgyan
said. He thinks that Russia would easily return its investments
because it buys heat insulating perlitic materials from an American
Corning Company for $1.2-$1.3 thousand per cu m, while the Karakert
Stone-Working Plant was to supply the same quality materials for
$600. The businessman said that Corning built a small plant on final
processing of perlitic heat insulating constructions near Moscow,
while Armenia fails to export its perlite reserves that will expire
in 3,000 years in case of annual export of 1 million tons. He said
that there are 50-60 combined heat and power plants that began using
heat-insulating materials on the basis of basalt fiber for lack of
perlite. Such materials need replacement within 4-5 years, while the
perlite thermal insulating boards would serve ten times longer.
Gevorgyan said that the plant was designed in 1974 and was put into
service in 1990. However, it was suspended after 4 months of start-up
operation for lack of gas supply. The plant occupies an area of 20 ha.
He said that 6.2 million Soviet rubles were spent on construction
of that unique plant. Now, it is estimated at $150-$200 million. The
plant will create 1,5 thousand jobs if production of thermal insulating
materials from perlite foam is resumed and the export to Russia is
launched in line with the above governmental agreement.
As for the perlite reserves in Armenia, Gevorgyan said that reserves in
the Aragats perlite mine are the best in the world with their quality
attributes. The mine contains over 50% of total world reserves of
this mineral or nearly 3 billion cu m.
"If Armenia exports 1 million cu m of primary processed perlite
annually, the proceeds from exports may reach $3 billion," Gevorgyan
said.
He recalled that since 1980s Russia had been importing up to 1.2
million tons of perlite from the Aragats mine annually for production
of 98% of heat-insulating materials in the energy system.
Commenting on development of perlite manufacturing in the world, he
said that over the last 20 years over 80 perlite processing plants had
been built in the United States. That country produces 12.5 million
cu m of perlite products out of 27 million cu m of annual production
in the world. Germany that has no perlite mines imports it from the
USA and exports 5 million cu m of expanded perlite. China has built
20 new plants in the given sector over the last years. There are 15
similar plants in Turkey.
"In the meantime, Armenia that has the biggest mine of the highest
quality perlite in the world produces nothing. It just boggles the
mind!" the business said.
ARMINFO News Agency
16/01/2013
Today Russia like during the Soviet period of time needs import of
Armenian perlite, Suren Gevorgyan, President of the Board of director
of Karakert Stone-Working Plant OJSC, the holder of the 50% stake in
the company, told ArmInfo.
He said that yet in 2007 Armenia and Russia made an interstate
agreement implying resumption of import of Armenian perlite. Then
prime minister of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and Transport Minister of
Russia Igor Levitin signed the agreement. A year before, in 2006,
an agreement was made with RAO UES on launching a joint production
at the plant. However, the agreement was not implemented due to some
"absurd reasons."
"It can be called nothing but crime when RAO UES transfers $300,000
to the plant's account, makes an agreement on investments in the
amount of $30 million, but all that remains on the paper," Gevorgyan
said. He thinks that Russia would easily return its investments
because it buys heat insulating perlitic materials from an American
Corning Company for $1.2-$1.3 thousand per cu m, while the Karakert
Stone-Working Plant was to supply the same quality materials for
$600. The businessman said that Corning built a small plant on final
processing of perlitic heat insulating constructions near Moscow,
while Armenia fails to export its perlite reserves that will expire
in 3,000 years in case of annual export of 1 million tons. He said
that there are 50-60 combined heat and power plants that began using
heat-insulating materials on the basis of basalt fiber for lack of
perlite. Such materials need replacement within 4-5 years, while the
perlite thermal insulating boards would serve ten times longer.
Gevorgyan said that the plant was designed in 1974 and was put into
service in 1990. However, it was suspended after 4 months of start-up
operation for lack of gas supply. The plant occupies an area of 20 ha.
He said that 6.2 million Soviet rubles were spent on construction
of that unique plant. Now, it is estimated at $150-$200 million. The
plant will create 1,5 thousand jobs if production of thermal insulating
materials from perlite foam is resumed and the export to Russia is
launched in line with the above governmental agreement.
As for the perlite reserves in Armenia, Gevorgyan said that reserves in
the Aragats perlite mine are the best in the world with their quality
attributes. The mine contains over 50% of total world reserves of
this mineral or nearly 3 billion cu m.
"If Armenia exports 1 million cu m of primary processed perlite
annually, the proceeds from exports may reach $3 billion," Gevorgyan
said.
He recalled that since 1980s Russia had been importing up to 1.2
million tons of perlite from the Aragats mine annually for production
of 98% of heat-insulating materials in the energy system.
Commenting on development of perlite manufacturing in the world, he
said that over the last 20 years over 80 perlite processing plants had
been built in the United States. That country produces 12.5 million
cu m of perlite products out of 27 million cu m of annual production
in the world. Germany that has no perlite mines imports it from the
USA and exports 5 million cu m of expanded perlite. China has built
20 new plants in the given sector over the last years. There are 15
similar plants in Turkey.
"In the meantime, Armenia that has the biggest mine of the highest
quality perlite in the world produces nothing. It just boggles the
mind!" the business said.