In recent days “GeoProMining Gold” Company proceeded to the construction of a crusher in the administrative territory of Sotq Village for crushing gold-bearing ore from Sotq Mine. Villagers are concerned: “We don’t know how this can affect us, nobody could explain anything to us,” said Sotq Village Aldermen’s Council representative in the interview with EcoLur. As it turned out crusher project hasn’t been submitted for the consideration of Environmental Expert Assessment Group of Nature Protection Ministry of Armenia. When EcoLur asked, why the project hasn’t been submitted for state expert assessment, company spokesman Armen Melkonyan replied he doesn’t think any permit is needed for setting a crusher. It should be noted that ore crushing is an initial cycle for ore processing operation which is banned in Lake Sevan basin according to Article 10 of RA Law “On Lake Sevan.” Taking into consideration that each year the company mines 60-70 thousand tons of ore containing elements of first class toxicity, as well as ore containing radioactive elements, for example, thorium, one may say at once that Sotq villagers’ anxiety has some substantiation, as dust from crushing process will at once accumulate in their territory, in Sotq River, it will penetrate into underground waters together with the precipitations, then into Sevan Lake. It’s just surprising that Nature Protection Ministry of Armenia and “Sevan” National Park, as well as the State Environmental Inspection don’t find any reasons to worry about.

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