ArmInfo.The construction of a copper smelter is included in Armenia's mining and metallurgy development strategy and has already been accompanied by a number of effective steps. However, it is too early to talk about the start of construction.
Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Armenia Asatur Vardanyan told journalists this on the sidelines of the Mining Forum Armenia.
He also noted that cooperation on this issue is currently underway with China and Iran, which have expressed interest in considering their participation in the construction of such a facility. However, a concrete agreement has not yet been reached. "But we are stimulating this process, which requires a serious economic justification for assessing the existing resource potential," Vardanyan said, emphasizing that the government believes this production can be carried out in Armenia in compliance with all international standards.
Speaking at the Forum, the Armenian Prime Minister noted that one of the important areas of the Strategy is creating conditions for the deep processing of metallurgical raw materials and the production of finished products.
The idea of creating a smelter in Armenia is not new. Back in the mid-2010s, a group was working in the country to study this issue and develop a feasibility study for the construction of a plant in the Syunik region. At that time, the total investment volume was estimated at $3-3.5 billion. However, the main challenges to the efficiency of such production were the lack of local raw materials, the availability of inexpensive electricity, and inefficient logistics.
