Suspending activities in Sotk gold mine indicates another Armenian provocation

By Azernews

Rena Murshud

Armenia has launched another provocation allegedly publishing news on suspending works at the Sotk gold mine. According to so called information in Armenian media, a few days ago, up to 800 workers stopped working, and claimed that they have fled to the sound of bullets from the Azerbaijani armed forces in the direction of SOTK.

It is significant to note that due that information Azerbaijan Defense Ministry had refuted the abovementioned information based on no evidence. Trying to pretend to be right in the matter, Armenians claim that they left the area as though for security purpose. At present, most of the workers have stopped working, it is reported that even 40 of them have left for Russia, Azernews reports.

The Sotk gold mine, known in Azerbaijan as the Zod gold mine is the largest mine in Azerbaijan and Armenia in terms of pure gold reserves. It is located in the vicinity of the Sotk village in Azerbaijan's historical Basarkecher (Vardenis) region and then Armenia's Gegharkunik Province, and the adjacent part of the Kalbajar District of Azerbaijan.

According to Azerbaijani officials, 74 percent of the gold mine lies on Azerbaijani territory.

The mine was discovered in 1951 and has been in operation since 1976. In 1993, during the First Karabakh War, the Kalbajar region of Azerbaijan (including the Azerbaijani part of the mine) passed under full control of Armenia and remained so until November 2020. In 2007, Armenia unilaterally granted the Russian company GeoProMining the right to exploit the mine. 320,500 tons of gold ore were mined in 2009, 490,000 tons in 2010, 880,000 tons in 2011. Between 350 and 400 workers were employed at the mine. The ore has been processed at the Ararat Gold Extraction Plant, where it is transported by rail. Pure gold reserves at the mine are estimated at more than 120 tons. The minimum profitable content of precious metal in the ore is equal to 0.8 g per ton.