ArmInfo.Armenia`s financial authorities regard possible re- operation of the Amulsar goldmine as a risk with positive outcome. Armenia`s Minister of Finance Tigran Khachatryan stated that this approach is incorporated in the 2022 draft budget.
At the final discussion of the 2022 draft budget in Armenia`s Parliament, Andranik Tevanyan, of the Hayastan (Armenia) faction inquired of Mr Khachatryan about the authorities` approach to the re-operation of the Amulsar goldmine.
As regards the Armenian government`s position, the minister urged the MP to turn to the relevant authorities. In the 2022 draft budget Armenia`s financial authorities include the re-operation of the Amulsar goldmine among the risks with positive outcomes provided the [project is launched within a year. "However, we should realize preparatory work will last for 12 months before the mine is re-operated," the minister said.
Early this February, Armenia`s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced the government`s intention to resume discussions of the mining industry programmes, including the Amulsar mine. "But we have to show a balanced approach and consider all the aspects. We have to find solutions as soon as possible," the premier said. This May, Acting Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan spoke of a need for a decision on the Amulsar goldmine. "The issues cannot remain unsettled forever," he said.
On November 2, at the preliminary hearing of the 2022 draft budget, Mr Kerobyan stated that in forecasting 7% GDP growth for the end of 2022, Armenia`s government did not consider the re-opening of border with Turkey and re-operation of the Amulsar goldmine.
The Amulsar goldmine is the second largest in Armenia. According to the company, the Amulsar gold reserves total 73,733kg, a means gold content of 0.78g per ton, as well as 294.367 tons of silver, with a mean silver content of 9.29g per ton. The goldmine is located13km of the resort town of Jermuk. Environmentalists and the public are concerned over contamination of the mineral waters in Jermuk and of Lake Sevan as a result of mine operation. Since the summer 2018, activists have been blocking the ways to the goldmine, Armenia`s government has not so far clearly stated its position on the ways to resolve the problem despite demands by both the sides.
