Armenian prosecutors launch criminal case against Lydian Armenia
30.08.2018,
12:43
Armenian prosecutors said they launched a criminal case against Lydian Armenia company for illegal mining that caused 18 million drams of damage (about $37,200).
YEREVAN, August 30. /ARKA/. Armenian prosecutors said they launched a criminal case against Lydian Armenia company for illegal mining that caused 18 million drams of damage (about $37,200).
Armenia’s Inspectorate for Nature Protection and Mineral Resources suggested August 27 that Lydian Armenia stop mining operations at the Amulsar gold deposit until a repeat environmental audit of the project was over.
Based on the findings of a previous audit of the project the Inspectorate suggested that the Ministry of Nature Protection recognize the expertise conclusion of the project, approved by the nature protection minister on April 29, 2016 as invalid. The head of the Inspectorate asked the Office of Prosecutor General to find out whether extraction of ore by the company without the right to use the subsoil contains elements of crime.
The Office of Prosecutor General said today that one of its departments overseeing protection of state interests looked into a set of documents provided by the Inspectorate and revealed facts of illegal mining. More precisely, it was revealed that Lydian Armenia extracted illegally basalt at a depth of 0.5-10 meters in an area of 3 hectares, as well as clay ore on an area of 2 hectares at a depth of 0.5-8 meters causing damages worth 18 million drams.
Taking into account the fact that these breaches include signs of crimes, the Office for the Protection of State Interests initiated a criminal case on the grounds of Part 2 of Article 291 (use of subsoil with violation of the rules of protection and use of subsoil). The investigation was assigned to the Investigative Committee of Armenia.
Lydian Armenia was founded in 2005, and all 100% shares in it are owned by Lydian International. The Amulsar mine program is the first project of the company in Armenia. The Amulsar gold deposit is the second largest deposit in Armenia in terms of gold reserves and is said to contain about 31 million tons of ore and 40 tons of pure gold.
Armenian local environmentalists and residents of nearby villagers have been protesting against the development of the mine for years, claiming that the mining activities would endanger the region’s water resources and the local population’s health.
Prime Minister Pashinyan promised that an ad-hoc expert group would be established to examine whether Amulsar gold mine and all other mining operations in the country comply with Armenian law and environmental protection norms. -0-
Armenia’s Inspectorate for Nature Protection and Mineral Resources suggested August 27 that Lydian Armenia stop mining operations at the Amulsar gold deposit until a repeat environmental audit of the project was over.
Based on the findings of a previous audit of the project the Inspectorate suggested that the Ministry of Nature Protection recognize the expertise conclusion of the project, approved by the nature protection minister on April 29, 2016 as invalid. The head of the Inspectorate asked the Office of Prosecutor General to find out whether extraction of ore by the company without the right to use the subsoil contains elements of crime.
The Office of Prosecutor General said today that one of its departments overseeing protection of state interests looked into a set of documents provided by the Inspectorate and revealed facts of illegal mining. More precisely, it was revealed that Lydian Armenia extracted illegally basalt at a depth of 0.5-10 meters in an area of 3 hectares, as well as clay ore on an area of 2 hectares at a depth of 0.5-8 meters causing damages worth 18 million drams.
Taking into account the fact that these breaches include signs of crimes, the Office for the Protection of State Interests initiated a criminal case on the grounds of Part 2 of Article 291 (use of subsoil with violation of the rules of protection and use of subsoil). The investigation was assigned to the Investigative Committee of Armenia.
Lydian Armenia was founded in 2005, and all 100% shares in it are owned by Lydian International. The Amulsar mine program is the first project of the company in Armenia. The Amulsar gold deposit is the second largest deposit in Armenia in terms of gold reserves and is said to contain about 31 million tons of ore and 40 tons of pure gold.
Armenian local environmentalists and residents of nearby villagers have been protesting against the development of the mine for years, claiming that the mining activities would endanger the region’s water resources and the local population’s health.
Prime Minister Pashinyan promised that an ad-hoc expert group would be established to examine whether Amulsar gold mine and all other mining operations in the country comply with Armenian law and environmental protection norms. -0-
