ArmInfo.The Lydian Armenia Company issued another statement in which it pointed out the absurdity of the assertions that there is a uranium hazard at the Amulsar mine.
The company's statement received by ArmInfo reads, in particular: "Some circles that have specialized in spreading lies about Amulsar for years have added to other nonsense the thesis that there is a uranium hazard at the Amulsar mine, referring to the Gromov's expedition researches, done during Soviet times (1952-1954) ".
The company informed that on August 14 this year, the State Committee for Nuclear Safety Regulation, based on the Gromov's report, the report of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the Amulsar project, the results of laboratory samples from about 50,000 wells, as well as repeated studies of samples representing the largest interesting and field measurements presented the results of tests in the Ministry of Environment, (copy provided by Lydian Armenia).
"The results confirm the correctness of Lydian Armenia in this matter. In particular, according to the results of the study, it is noted:
- The territory indicated in the Gromov's report is outside the Amulsar mine;
- Research work carried out by Lydian Armenia is sufficient for the preparation of the EIA documents and the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA);
- The relevant sections of the EIA and ESIA documents comply with the Radiation Safety Rules of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety standards;
- There is no need to revise the EIA and ESIA documents on radiation safety," the company's statemnt stressed
At the same time, Lydian recalled that it has repeatedly presented evidence that allegations of the uranium hazard are yet another lie, and the Environmental Impact Assessment of Amulsar proves that all studies were carried out properly and that there is no danger of radiation or uranium on Amulsar.
"Thus, we hope that the page of the next falsification around Amulsar can be considered closed with undeniable scientific justification," the company concluded.
The total cost of the Amulsar project is $ 370 million. The life of the deposit is 10 years and 4 months, while it is planned to extract an average of 200 thousand ounces of gold annually. To note, Lydian Armenia is a subsidiary of the British offshore Lydian International. Environmentalists and ordinary citizens are concerned that the operation of the mine may lead to the pollution of the mineral groundwater in Jermuk and Lake Sevan. In addition to the water basin, the public is also concerned about the possible presence of uranium manifestations at the deposit. Environmentalists and activists demand that the positive conclusion on the EIA project be invalidated, since it was adopted with legislative violations, and the document itself contains problems and shortcomings.
On August 12 the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced the completion of its participation in the project for the development of the Amulsar field. Earlier this year, Lydian International, a mining company that faced difficult financial situation, announced a restructuring and was delisted on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development initially took part in the capital of the offshore company Lydian International, registered on the Jersey island, together with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which withdrew from the project 2 years ago. The participation of these international donor partners allowed the offshore company to enter the Canadian exchange market and attract additional investment from institutional investors in the form of investment and pension funds. The main lenders today remain Orion Resource Partners, Osisko Mining and Resource Capital. The Bank Fidanka McGrath notes that the current events around the Amulsar mine bring significant reputational damage to the EBRD, even after the EBRD's stake in Lydian International is liquidated.