YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN. At the November 1 sitting, the Armenian government made a decision on changing the end use of lands and the allocation of land plots with the aim of implementing the program on operation of the Teghut copper and molybdenum mine and a decision on recognizing as an exclusive - superior public interest and changing the end use of lands in some terriories within administrative borders of Shnogh and Teghut communities in Lori marz of the Republic of Armenia. The RA minister of trade and economic development Nerses Yeritsian told reporters following the sitting that with operation of the Teghut mine, about 1,700 jobs will be created. The mine will be operated for 30-40 years, with the annual extraction of ores making 270 million dollars, which will make up 40-50% of total production in the country. According to the minister, the Teghut mine is the second largest in Armenia after the Kajaran mine by the amount of resources. The mine's confirmed resources of ores make 450 million tons: 1.6 million tons of copper and 99 thousand tons of molybdenum. The licence of operation of this mine for 25 years was granted to Manes and Vallex company in 2001. The company was reorganized and renamed "Armenian Copper Program" (ACP). N. Yeritsian informed those present that the program envisages mining and processing 7 million tons of ore a year at the first stage. The company plans to make investments of 200 million dollars. Until now 50 million dollars has been invested. In the words of the minister, last year the RA ministry of environmental protection made a positive expert conclusion about the impact of the mine's operation on the environment. Public hearings were held, during which the company developed an environmental protection management plan of the program on operation of the mine. The minister said that there is no professional substantiation that the mine's operation will cause serious environmental problems. Nevertheless, it was stated that as a result of the Teghut mine's operation, a 357-ha section covered with forests will be cut down on the 716-ha production area, while the company will preserve a 775-ha sanitary area. According to N. Yeritsian, recreational zones will later be built in these areas.

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