Meanwhile, copper mining is sparking political conflict in Armenia, where a Russian-backed consortium wants to start exploiting reserves underlying the Teghut Forest, one of the country’s natural wonders. Teghut is home to more than just copper – Syrian Brown Bears and the Short-toed Eagle make it their home and will have to contend with the onset of open-pit mining in the near future.
This builds on years of environmental degradation in Armenia. Mongabay reports that “in fifteen years, from 1990-2005, Armenia lost 18.2% of its forest [while] This has been mostly due to illegal logging for fuel or construction materials, although industry has also played a role.” Given the generally arid climate of the country, deforestation has been leading rapidly to desertification. The Teghut mine will not help this. Along with deforestation, chemical tailings from the extraction process will be “dumped in a gorge” and will doubtless seep into the nearby Dbed river, contaminating drinking water.
Armenian environmentalist Jeff Masarijan maintains that “environmental regulations regarding water quality and prevention of contamination are simply not enforced by the government.” ACP, the company planning to run the Teghut mine apparently “took a group of observers…to their copper mine in the southern town of Drembon, which they touted as a shining example of their environmental ethic.” There, Masarijan told Mongabay, “Our staff observed a tailing dump there that was completely accessible to wandering cattle and children.”
ACP has also been running a filthy smelter at Alaverdi, where birth defects have rocketed in recent years and smoke filters have been resisted by the company for cost reasons. Despite these problems, the Kocharian government in Yerevan has done nothing to stop the Teghut project, or heeded alternative plans for ecotourism and sustainable forestry in the region.
This builds on years of environmental degradation in Armenia. Mongabay reports that “in fifteen years, from 1990-2005, Armenia lost 18.2% of its forest [while] This has been mostly due to illegal logging for fuel or construction materials, although industry has also played a role.” Given the generally arid climate of the country, deforestation has been leading rapidly to desertification. The Teghut mine will not help this. Along with deforestation, chemical tailings from the extraction process will be “dumped in a gorge” and will doubtless seep into the nearby Dbed river, contaminating drinking water.
Armenian environmentalist Jeff Masarijan maintains that “environmental regulations regarding water quality and prevention of contamination are simply not enforced by the government.” ACP, the company planning to run the Teghut mine apparently “took a group of observers…to their copper mine in the southern town of Drembon, which they touted as a shining example of their environmental ethic.” There, Masarijan told Mongabay, “Our staff observed a tailing dump there that was completely accessible to wandering cattle and children.”
ACP has also been running a filthy smelter at Alaverdi, where birth defects have rocketed in recent years and smoke filters have been resisted by the company for cost reasons. Despite these problems, the Kocharian government in Yerevan has done nothing to stop the Teghut project, or heeded alternative plans for ecotourism and sustainable forestry in the region.
The loss of Armenia’s forest cover, courtesy of the Armenia Tree Project
Friends of the Earth has prepared a standard letter intended for the U.S. ambassador to Armenia, which can be found here. and could well be worth a try.
Friends of the Earth has prepared a standard letter intended for the U.S. ambassador to Armenia, which can be found here. and could well be worth a try.
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