TIME FOR ARMENIA TO CHOOSE:MINING FOR DEVELOPMENT OR SYSTEMATIC PLUNDER?
15:48, March 30, 2015
It is indisputable that different aspects of themountaintop mining
industry, especially the production and processing of useful metal
mining, cause irrevocable damage to nature and human health, thus
differing essentially from other types of human economic activity.
However, the companies engaged in these activities have been insisting
for a long time that so called “sustainable” mining operations cause
almost no damage to the environment.
Now that such a statement is hard to substantiatethey have begun
using the term “responsible” mining and the main idea of this is to
disguise the real hazards and neutralize public criticism under the
veil of economic growth, corporate profit and social programs. And
all this is even more dangerous for countries like Armenia that have
a small territory, population living under extremelydifficult social
conditions and corrupt government.
We all know very well that today the natural resources of the
less developed countries are viewed as a “delicious slice”
for more developed countries. The global mining “machine” and
various international financial organizations usingbeautiful terms,
promising words and in the name of international standards continue
to ruthlessly exploit the natural resources of the less developed
countries, paying minimal taxes and fees, utilizing the useful
minerals and then leaving the countries with many environmental and
social issues. It is obvious that it would have been impossible to
accomplish the above mentioned without the active participation and
support of the high-ranking officials of the governing bodies in the
less developed countries. The high-ranking officials do not waste
any effort to rob the natural resources at a fast and unobstructed
pace since a certain portion of profits reach them as well.
This is one of the main reasons for the continuous interest of
different companies toward metal resources of Armenia, and continuously
the discussions revolve around making the investments in this field
more productive and attractive, and exploiting new metal mines and
even outcroppings.
Once again we would like to remind the decision-makers at the
governmental level in our country today that Armenia has a total
area of 29.7 thousand square kilometers, where approximately 460
mines already have permission for exploitation, out of which 27
are metal mines, and additional 85 metal mines are currently in
the study phase and waitingto be exploited. As a result, there are
already abouteight hundred million tons of tailings in 23 open and
closed tailing dumps, which are saturated with heavy metals and other
dangerous substances.At this rate, after 2-3 decades there will be
hundreds of toxic and extremely dangerous tailing dumps in Armenia,
which could be disastrous for the country and its people.
To all those “wise men” and executivesof mining companies, who compare
Armenia to Canada, Australia, USA, Sweden or Russia in order to prove
the necessity of the development of the mining industry in Armenia,
instead of engaging in demagoguery we advise you to open the world
map and see the difference between Armenia and these countries in
terms of area, density of population and biodiversity. In addition,
we advise you to thoroughly research the laws, regulations, and
taxation system of those countries, compare them to ours and only
then speak about the necessity of exploiting new mines, make majestic
announcements or try to appear as the saviors of the country (see
the”Mediamax.am’s” interview with Howard Stevenson, President and CEO
of Lydian International:”Success of Amulsar will eventually translate
into the success of Armenia”).
Forest ecosystems, such as Teghout Forest, that were created over
the centuries are being destroyed for short-term gain. Thousands of
hectares of land are alreadyirreversibly lost, they are buried under
open mines, stripped and minimal ore bearing rocks, and the soil is
already rich in heavy metals and other dangerous substances. The
surface and ground waters are contaminated from the absorption of
the tailing waste and drains released from the tailing dumps, which
are later used for irrigation and other purposes. As a result,the
heavy metals end up in the agricultural crops, hay and other products
(e.g., meat, milk, honey, etc.) and eventually through the food chain
end up in the human organism as well becoming the cause of various
health conditions and diseases (see relevant scientific researches).
Of course, the conditions for exploiting Armenia’s metallic useful
minerals are very attractive, as our so-called government has not
only given 100% exploitation permission to foreign companies, mostly
registered in offshore zones, to use the wealth that belongs to the
people but have also created a legal and taxation system to make the
mining companies feel at home. For the exploitation and production
of the natural resources, granted by nature to us and the future
generations, the taxation rates that have been set are no different
than the taxation rates imposed in other areas of economy, when they
should be much higher.
In Armenia, the mining companies are entirely exempt from paying fees
for the tailings, waste dumps and minimal-ore bearing rocks. Even if
these were taxed at the lowest rates, then each year a few 100 million
euros will be collected in Armenia, which would make up a lot more
money than all the current taxes and fees combined together paid by
the mining companies annually.Also we have no special state fund set
aside like in many other countries for accumulating very large sum
of money from utilization of natural resources in order to compensate
possible environmental damage and to protect the environment.
As a result, the largest amount of the mining income flows into
offshore companies, as well as to local officials and various
international financial organizations hidden behind the offshore
companies. As a result ofthe direct force and efforts of these kinds
of international organizations, Armenia has adopted laws and legal
acts ensuring the plunder of our natural resources.
The announcements about creating job opportunities are also false
and groundless. According to the National Statistical Service of
the Republic of Armenia, in 2013 only 9,400 people worked in the
fields of mining and open-mine operations, which makes up only 0.8%
of the population employment in Armenia and accounts for only 4.5%
of Armenia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It’s worth mentioning that
it is the largest 5-6 mining companies, operating for already quite
a long time, that provide nearly 95% of the results mentioned above.
These are all undeniable facts which bring us to conclude and affirm
the following: “NO NEW MINES IN ARMENIA”, until serious systematic
and fundamental amendments are adopted and implemented, which are
as follows:
1. Work out a thorough strategic plan for the development of the
mining sector based on scientifically grounded and real assessment of
long-term ecological damage and expected income from various projects.
2. A serious reconsideration of the legislations in the mining and
environment sectors; a considerable increase in the payments and fees
paid by the companies.
3. Classification of tailing dumps according to their risk level and
impose taxes for toxic wastes. Implementation of the “Polluter Pays
Principle (PPP).” It holds that those who cause contamination should be
responsible for paying the clean-up costs. Moreover, the fees should be
equivalent to the damage caused to different parts of the environment.
4. Implementation of water recycling systems in all mining factories
and tailing dumps, which will prevent the waste outflow into the
environment. Until it is implemented, ensure that the outflow points
are under serious control and periodically take samples and conduct
necessary research.
5. Conduct safety studies in allopen and closed tailing dumps,
especiallyto estimate thestability ofdamsin case of emergencies,
such as earthquakes, landslides, shear, floods, etc.
6. Strictstate andpubliccontrol overallstages ofnatural
resource utilization; makepublic the monitoring results of
theenvironmentalmanagementplans conducted by the companies. Proper
monitoring of the state of the environmentandhealth ofthe
affectedpopulation during the mine exploitation and wide public
awarenessof the monitoring results.
7. Economic assessment and extraction of the range of useful elements
already available in the tailings instead of exploiting new mines.
Experts estimate thatitwould bemorecost-effective
andmuchlessharmfulthanexploitation of Teghout or Amulsar mines.
8. Increase in efficiency of current operating
mines,particularlyextraction of basic metals from ore reaching 90-95%
instead of the current 65-70%. In addition, conduct extraction of
the useful and quite valuableelementsnearby.
9. Creation ofan environmental fund, where the
extractors willpayseriousfees for environmental andpublic
healthprotection,rehabilitation ofpollutedareas, elimination of
consequences caused by potential accidents, as well as realization
of independentandobjectivescientificresearch.
Of course, we can also submit many otherproposals in addition
to the 9 proposals above. However,these proposals canbecome a
realityonlywhen we have professional leaders who reallycare aboutthe
futureof Armenia, who arewillingand abletomake the rightdecisions,
whowillfinallyrealizethat the metalmineralresources will one day
be exhausted, and it is necessary toutilizethemoney gainedfrom
the operation of mines for Armenia’srealempowermentanddevelopment
ofother sectors ofthe economy, rather than the enrichment of offshore
registeredcompanies anda fewfamilies.
We urge thecitizens ofArmeniaandour compatriotsliving abroadnot to
beindifferent towards this destructiveprocess andrealize thattime
has come for all of us to make a decision – either side with the
exploitation of themines for the sake of our country’s “development”
or systematic plunder of the naturalresources belonging to us and
the future generations.
The result depends on the position and action of every one of us.
P. S. We would like to bring everyone’s attention to the following
two documentaries, which illustrate who is exploiting Armenia’s
natural resources, how they are being exploited, what environmental
and health problems are caused by the exploitation of the mines and
finally what are the Armenian people getting from all of this.
Environmental documentary”Armenia’s breaking
backbone”
“Mining is a threat to Syunik” ARTV clip
Pan-Armenian Environmental Front (PAEF)
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