Tweet
"THESE MINES ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENTS FOR THE ECONOMY OF ARTSAKH, FOR OUR COMPANY, AND FOR THE REGION"
http://artsakhtert.com/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1255: these-mines-are-the-most-important-achievements-for-the-economy-of-artsakh-for-our-company-and-for-the-region&catid=6:economy&Itemid=18
Thursday, 31 October 2013 09:52
One of the Vallex Group companies -Base Metals Company is exploiting
two mines in Nagorno Karabakh - the Drmbon underground mine and the
Kashen open mine.
Following is an interview with Director General of Base Metals closed
joint-stock company Arthur Mcrtumian.
- Mr. Mcrtumian, the Drmbon copper-gold mine has operated for over
ten years. What are the reserves to date?
- The mine has operated since 2002; its total reserves amounted to
3,2 million tons, 3 million tons of which have been extracted. It
means that 150-200 thousand tons are left. We suppose that in a year
or a year and a half, the reserves will run out. To date, the monthly
extraction of mineral is about five-fold less than previously. Or,
while we extracted about 30.000 thousand tons of mineral, currently the
number makes 6000 tons. Besides the decrease in quantity, there also
decrease in the metal content - the content of gold has decreased by
about 2,5-3 times. It is natural, because the reserves of all mines
are exhausted some time. We can say that the mine is experiencing
scheduled exhaustion.
- There is contradictory information on the reduction of jobs. Does
it correspond to the reality? If it does, so what is it caused by?
- Surely, it doesn't correspond to the reality. We release pensioners,
that is, all those who have reached the age of 63 and more. But,
as I have noted, the ore reserves have decreased five-fold and
the staff had to decrease similarly. But, we avoided doing this,
through corresponding displacements. We moved some people from the
mines to other units. Today, we have 1270 employees in Drmbon and
Kashen; generally, the number of our employees always amounted to
1150-1200 people.
- How are the works going on at the Kashen mine?
- To date, the works at the Kashen mine are excellent, because the
7-million-volume stripping is being completed; then we'll smoothly
pass to the major stripping works at the basic mine, which means
extraction of additional 3 million tons of ore in the coming two
years. In parallel, we have opened 1.1-million-ton ore reserves, and
thanks to the 24-hour-work regime, 1700-2000 tons are daily transported
to Drmbon for processing, and we'll have additional 2 million tons
of ore as a result of the first phase of works at the open mine.
- What kind of metal does the Kashen mine hold and how many years of
work are needed there?
- Currently, Kashen holds about 55-56 million tons. And the factory
to be built will provide at least 25-year works. The main metal of
the mine is copper, and the lower layers contain also molybdenum
reserves. It means that a great mine is available in Karabakh,
in particular, in the Martakert region, which will provide works
for a few decades, though we hope that as a result of 2-3-year
research works, the reserves will increase. This is probably the most
important achievement for the economy of Karabakh, for our company,
and especially for the region.
- How many people are employed currently at the Kashen mine?
- Currently, there are nearly 350 employees at the Kashen mine,
and the works last 24 hours. The number of workers will increase
with the construction of the mining plant, amounting to 1000-1200
people. While our professionals were previously from Armenia, now
they are local ones. The works in Kashen are conducted as in Drmbon
- the company provides all the workers with transport, food, and,
if necessary, housing. 24-hour medical service is also provided here.
During the last six months, construction of 60-80 km of roads
took place; also, the company funded the major repair of two roads
connecting Martakert with the Sarsang Basin - Martaket-Kusapat-Drmbon
and Martaket-Chankatagh-Chldran-Drmbon. The road connecting the
villages of Vardadzor and Chankatagh has been long put into operation.
According to the project, the mine should have a 500-meter sanitarian
belt; previously, there were houses there, and, as reimbursement, 3-
and 4-room houses are built on another site for their owners, which
will have all the necessary communication facilities and individual
cattle-yards.
- What are the further programs of the company?
- Today, the volume of works at the Drmbon mining plant is twice
more than previously, because the ore of the Kashen mine - about
50-55 tons monthly - is also processed. This will continue until we
build a big and modern mining plant, which requires investments in
$100-150 million.
Interviewed by
Lusine ZAKARIAN
From: Baghdasarian
http://artsakhtert.com/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1255: these-mines-are-the-most-important-achievements-for-the-economy-of-artsakh-for-our-company-and-for-the-region&catid=6:economy&Itemid=18
Thursday, 31 October 2013 09:52
One of the Vallex Group companies -Base Metals Company is exploiting
two mines in Nagorno Karabakh - the Drmbon underground mine and the
Kashen open mine.
Following is an interview with Director General of Base Metals closed
joint-stock company Arthur Mcrtumian.
- Mr. Mcrtumian, the Drmbon copper-gold mine has operated for over
ten years. What are the reserves to date?
- The mine has operated since 2002; its total reserves amounted to
3,2 million tons, 3 million tons of which have been extracted. It
means that 150-200 thousand tons are left. We suppose that in a year
or a year and a half, the reserves will run out. To date, the monthly
extraction of mineral is about five-fold less than previously. Or,
while we extracted about 30.000 thousand tons of mineral, currently the
number makes 6000 tons. Besides the decrease in quantity, there also
decrease in the metal content - the content of gold has decreased by
about 2,5-3 times. It is natural, because the reserves of all mines
are exhausted some time. We can say that the mine is experiencing
scheduled exhaustion.
- There is contradictory information on the reduction of jobs. Does
it correspond to the reality? If it does, so what is it caused by?
- Surely, it doesn't correspond to the reality. We release pensioners,
that is, all those who have reached the age of 63 and more. But,
as I have noted, the ore reserves have decreased five-fold and
the staff had to decrease similarly. But, we avoided doing this,
through corresponding displacements. We moved some people from the
mines to other units. Today, we have 1270 employees in Drmbon and
Kashen; generally, the number of our employees always amounted to
1150-1200 people.
- How are the works going on at the Kashen mine?
- To date, the works at the Kashen mine are excellent, because the
7-million-volume stripping is being completed; then we'll smoothly
pass to the major stripping works at the basic mine, which means
extraction of additional 3 million tons of ore in the coming two
years. In parallel, we have opened 1.1-million-ton ore reserves, and
thanks to the 24-hour-work regime, 1700-2000 tons are daily transported
to Drmbon for processing, and we'll have additional 2 million tons
of ore as a result of the first phase of works at the open mine.
- What kind of metal does the Kashen mine hold and how many years of
work are needed there?
- Currently, Kashen holds about 55-56 million tons. And the factory
to be built will provide at least 25-year works. The main metal of
the mine is copper, and the lower layers contain also molybdenum
reserves. It means that a great mine is available in Karabakh,
in particular, in the Martakert region, which will provide works
for a few decades, though we hope that as a result of 2-3-year
research works, the reserves will increase. This is probably the most
important achievement for the economy of Karabakh, for our company,
and especially for the region.
- How many people are employed currently at the Kashen mine?
- Currently, there are nearly 350 employees at the Kashen mine,
and the works last 24 hours. The number of workers will increase
with the construction of the mining plant, amounting to 1000-1200
people. While our professionals were previously from Armenia, now
they are local ones. The works in Kashen are conducted as in Drmbon
- the company provides all the workers with transport, food, and,
if necessary, housing. 24-hour medical service is also provided here.
During the last six months, construction of 60-80 km of roads
took place; also, the company funded the major repair of two roads
connecting Martakert with the Sarsang Basin - Martaket-Kusapat-Drmbon
and Martaket-Chankatagh-Chldran-Drmbon. The road connecting the
villages of Vardadzor and Chankatagh has been long put into operation.
According to the project, the mine should have a 500-meter sanitarian
belt; previously, there were houses there, and, as reimbursement, 3-
and 4-room houses are built on another site for their owners, which
will have all the necessary communication facilities and individual
cattle-yards.
- What are the further programs of the company?
- Today, the volume of works at the Drmbon mining plant is twice
more than previously, because the ore of the Kashen mine - about
50-55 tons monthly - is also processed. This will continue until we
build a big and modern mining plant, which requires investments in
$100-150 million.
Interviewed by
Lusine ZAKARIAN
From: Baghdasarian