31M TONS OF ORE TO BE PRODUCED IN 2013

As of September, 439 licenses have been granted for mining, including
39 in line with the requirements of the new law on subsoil. Currently
68 mines are being explored, said the deputy minister of energy and
natural resources Areg Galstyan during the hearing called by the NA
Standing Committee of Economic Affairs.

He noted that according to the forecast for this year, 30.9 million
tons of metal will be extracted, which is relatively more compared with
last year. In 2012, 21 million tons of ore was extracted in Armenia.

“The World Bank experts are here now and have launched environmental
discussions with stakeholders. They seem to be saying reasonable
things. In any case, we still have something to do, and these experts
will try to help us,” the deputy minister said.

The head of the Standing Committee Vardan Aivazyan hurried to announce
that mining is the main sector that boosts economic development,
comprises 42% of foreign trade and employs thousands of people.

14:32 08/10/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress