Biodiversity damages of Amulsar gold mine operation to be minimized

A comprehensive program on biodiversity management of the gold mine in the vicinity of Amulsar mountain in the border on Vayots Dzor and Syunik provinces has been designed.

It was possible to implement as result of 7 years of research and detailed studies of both Armenian and international organizations and experts.

Armen Stepanyan, senior manager for sustainable development of Lydian Armenia ,the company operating the mine,told Armenpress the purpose of the program is to avoid significant losses during the operation of the mine.

“Meaning the entire operation must be managed in a way that overall the losses in the given territory or outside the territory are minimized to zero. We have checked whether or not there are breeding birds or whether or not they are endangered. We even try to find solutions. There are also issues regarding management ,for instance adjust business hours in order for the noise not to disturb the residents nearby”, Stepanyan said, adding the management model can change depending on the species of pants ,birds, animals.

Procceding from this , it is possible to tell the contactor not to speak loudly during work, not to make demolition when it will disturb the residents and to minimize losses during works. The biodiversity management plan includes all points.

Restoration and significant adverse residual inpact compensation programs are carried out .With this purpose the operator is obliged to carry out biodivercity compensation.

“We have a clear action plan, which consists of two parts and is regarding the brown bear and the Potentilla porphyrantha plant species. We have separated both the habitat of the brown bear and the location of the plants.This action is grounded by documents and no actions are taken in these areas and it is under their supervision”, he said.

Additional actions are taken in case of species included in the “Red Book” of Armenia.

A research program has been done for re-locating ,preserving and returining the Potentilla porphyrantha to its natural bio-environment after the completion of the mining.

For the preservation of this species alone Lydian Armenia provided around half a million dollars.

“Everything has been done for this species to remain and grow in Amulsar regardless of what happens”, he said.

In terms of the concern of environmentalists that 150 endangered species of animals live on the Amulsar mountain , Lydian Armenia reassure that there aren’t that many species in that territory.

Source: armenpress