The Environmental Protection First (EPF) has issued a statement, expressing its readiness to conduct monitoring of the Amuldagh gold deposit.

Azernews presents the statement:

“The Environmental Protection First Coalition supports the protest statement by Armenian civil society organizations demanding suspension of mining industry activities causing environmental damage at the Amuldagh (Amulsar) gold deposit.

We are grateful to our Armenian colleagues for echoing our concerns. It is as a result of this solidarity that the activities that were scheduled to start in Arazdayan were recently stopped.

As stated by over 100 civil society organizations and environmental activists in Armenia, the “Amulsar gold deposit” project poses a threat to biodiversity and water resources. The Armenian government and a company called “Lydian Armenia” did not take into account the results of the environmental impact assessment of the deposit.

Despite numerous protests by international organizations and the adoption of a number of decisions against it, mining waste containing heavy metals and generated as a result of the operation of the Amuldagh (Amulsar) gold deposit are being discharged into the Bargushad (Vorotan) River and eventually pollute the Araz River through the Hakari River. Such operation of the Amuldagh (Amulsar) gold deposit poses a serious threat to the region surrounded by the Caucasus mountains, as well as its population.

The Amuldagh deposit is located 13 kilometers from the city of Istisu (Jermuk), which is a natural mineral water deposit. The operation of the field causes a detrimental impact on Istisu mineral springs. The deposit is also located in the area between the Arpachay and the Bazarchay rivers. Both rivers pass through the territory of Azerbaijan and flow into the Araz. The use of the long-forbidden toxic and hazardous substances in the operation of the Amuldagh field destroys nature, causes acidification of rivers and poisoning of their waters. In addition to the fact that gold mining pollutes waters of this river, it also has a negative impact on the ecosystem of Lake Goycha (Sevan), the largest freshwater lake in Armenia located in the vicinity. This industry also poses a serious threat to the Caspian Sea basin.

The Arpachay and the Bazarchay rivers, which flow across the territory of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of the Republic of Azerbaijan, flow into the Araz and from there into the Caspian Sea. Therefore, this is causing a serious damage to the ecology not only of Azerbaijan, but also of Iran and other Caspian littoral countries.

The gold deposit is operated by “Lydian Armenia”. The sole shareholder of this company is “Lydian International”, a company based in Great Britain. Its key shareholders included “Orion Mine Finance” (USA), “Resource Capital Funds” (USA), “Merk Investments” and “Tocqueville Asset Management LP”.

As EPF Coalition, we also call on the Armenian government and the companies involved in gold mining in this deposit to immediately stop the operation of the “Amulsar gold deposit”, which is being exploited without regard for any environmental norms whatsoever.

We are ready to start monitoring of the “Amulsar gold deposit” together with Armenian and other countries’ civil society institutions and international organizations operating in the field of health and environment.

The Armenian government should realize the responsibility for its actions and open the doors of mining industry enterprises for environmental monitoring.

The statement was signed by Amin Mammadov (Experts in the Field of Water Use Public Union), Parvana Valiyeva (Service to Health Public Union), Sabit Baghirov ( Entrepreneurship Development Foundation) and Gamza Yusubova (Environmental Awareness and Monitoring Public Union).

The Environmental Protection First Coalition has appealed to the Armenian government demanding that it create conditions for environmental and health NGOs of Azerbaijan and other countries to conduct monitoring of the Amuldagh field.

The Coalition’s statement says that Armenia should realize the responsibility for its actions and open the doors of mining industry enterprises for environmental monitoring. It demands that the operation of the Amuldagh field, which is being exploited without regard for any environmental norms whatsoever, should be stopped immediately.

EPF also supports the opinion of more than 100 civil society organizations and environmental activists in Armenia that the operation of Amuldagh poses a serious threat to biodiversity and water resources. In addition, Azerbaijani NGOs expressed gratitude to Armenian environmental organizations and activists for echoing the concerns of the Environmental Protection First Coalition.