ArmInfo. If we decide that a referendum should be held on the operation of the Amulsar mine, we will inform about this. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this in the parliament.
He noted that if to this day there has been no initiative then the government does not consider it necessary. "If the legislation of Armenia makes it possible to resolve this issue through a referendum, then the citizens of the country can raise the issue of its need through civil initiative. This issue is considered exclusively in the legal framework. And all the provisions of this law should be examined. We will discuss this issue again," Pashinyan said. Amulsar field is the second largest reserve in Armenia. According to the company, the deposit contains about 73733 kg of gold with an average grade of 0.78 g per ton, and 294.367 tons of silver with an average grade of 9.29 g per ton. It is located in the south-east of the country, 13 km from the spa town of Jermuk, between the rivers Arpa and Vorotan.
It should be noted that despite the assurances of the Lydian company that about $ 300 million has already been invested in the development project of the Amulsar gold deposit, environmentalists do not share the government's enthusiasm about the attractiveness of the mine's operation plan. Environmentalists fear that the exploitation of the field, during which sodium cyanide will be used, may lead to the oxidation of water in rivers. Contaminated waters will become unsuitable for drinking and irrigation and may cause irreparable harm to the mineral springs of Jermuk and the ecosystem of Sevan. Since the end of 2018, the road to the field has been blocked by environmental activists. The company in December last year announced that it was starting the delisting of its shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange, where they were quoted, and in fact announced a default.