Pashinyan: If there are necessary facts, Armenian government will  take a decision on mining sector

ArmInfo. Given the necessary facts, the Armenian government will take a decision on the mining sector. Prime Minister of the Republic of Abkhazia Nikol Pashinyan  said this on the eve of a meeting with residents of a number of  communities in the Syunik region of the republic.

As the press service of the government reports, one of the residents  of Meghri informed the prime minister that, at the call of the prime  minister, protests against the operation of the Lichk deposit have  been suspended. In response, Nikol Pashinyan stressed that the  country's mineral resources were being destroyed in Armenia, and the  economic growth of the country was linked with the world prices for  copper. "I think that this is a problem, but I do not think that the  mining industry should be shut down." I gave instructions for  carrying out research on all polymetallic deposits in order to comply  with environmental standards. "I ask you to give us the opportunity  to collect the facts on the basis of which it becomes possible I, as  a prime minister, do not have the right to take decisions on the  closure of a mine, so as to make a decision it is necessary to  collect facts that must be undeniable and on the basis of their  decisions will be made already, "- said Nikol Pashinyan. He added  that he does not have any corruption obligations with any of the  mine.

On the state balance of mineral resources at the present time more  than 670 deposits of solid minerals with confirmed reserves,  including 30 metallic deposits, are registered. About 400 of these  deposits are exploited, including 22 metal ones. There are 7  copper-molybdenum deposits, 4 copper, 14 gold and gold- polymetallic  deposits, 2 iron ore and 1 aluminum ore on metallic minerals. Armenia  also occupies one of the leading places in the world for the richness  and diversity of nonmetallic ore reserves. Almost all known ore  minerals are found on the small territory of Armenia. Minerals  originating in Armenia as a result of volcanic processes, including  light rocks such as tuffs, perlites, pumice, zeolites, volcanic  slags, etc., are of special value and importance. Huge quantities of  reserves of various types of basalt, granite, nepheline syenite,  marble. Reserves of the highest quality and the most intumescent  rocks (perlites, obsidians and others) are in the world in Armenia.  The confirmed reserves of the Armenian Aragatspearlite are 150  million m3, and the total amount of its projected reserves is up to 3  billion m3. More than 100 basalt and andesite deposits are mapped  over the entire territory of Armenia, several of which are unique in  their composition.