ArmInfo. In Q1 2017 Armenia increased the volume of exports of copper ore by 20% annually (versus 29.4% growth a year ago). Along with this, growth in exports of zinc and molybdenum concentrates was recorded - by 52.2% and 2.6 times, respectively (against growth of 52.7% and 61.1% a year earlier). This is evidenced by the data of the Customs Service of the Republic of Armenia.
According to customs data, the volume of copper ore exported in the first half of 2017 amounted to 222 thousand tons, the customs value of which increased by 54.9% per annum to $ 248.3 million. Copper ore was exported to Bulgaria (52%), China (17.8%), Georgia (16%), Switzerland (12.8%), Romania (1.4%).
During the reporting period, Armenia exported 4.7 thousand tons of zinc concentrate, the customs value of which increased 2.6-fold to $ 7.2 million. The volume of zinc concentrate exported from Armenia fell to Belgium (79%) and Korea (21%).
The volume of molybdenum concentrate exported from Armenia in the first half of 2017 amounted to 560.8 tons, with the customs value increased 4.2 times to $ 3.9 million. The exports fell to the Netherlands (53.6%), Belgium (35.6%) and Russia (10 , 7%).
Export of ores containing precious metals in the first half of 2017 Armenia reduced by 96.2% to 93.6 tons. At the same time, in value terms, there was also a decline - by 99.2% - to $ 96.7 thousand. And almost all the volume of exported raw materials fell to Switzerland - 93.4 tons and only 200 kg to China, whereas a year earlier the whole volume of exports was delivered to The Chinese market.
According to Armenian National Statistics Service, for Q1 2017 Production of molybdenum concentrate increased by 6.9% per annum - up to 5,614 tons, against the decline of 7.9% a year earlier. The production of copper concentrate increased by 6.9% - to 205.9 thousand tons, against growth of 31% a year earlier. The production of zinc concentrate increased during the reporting period by 29.5% per annum - up to 4 569 tons, against the 48.7% decline the year before. Meanwhile, for the whole of 2016, the production of copper concentrate increased by 23.1% to 388.5 thousand tons, the production of molybdenum concentrate increased by 2.1% to 10,662 tons, and the volume of zinc concentrate production decreased by 30.3% % - up to 7891 tons.