ARMENIA POSSESS SUFFICIENT SCIENTIFIC POTENTIAL TO CONCENTRATE URANIUM

ARMINFO News Agency
February 14, 2007 Wednesday

Armenia possesses sufficient scientific potential in the sphere
of Nuclear Physics to concentrate uranium, Radik Martirosyan, the
President of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences, told an
ArmInfo correspondent.

However, this issue is not touched upon in political circles.

R.Matirosyan pointed out the necessity of strong technologies to
hold uranium concentration work. But it is a problem to launch such
technologies because of the interference of the neighboring countries,
he noted. R.Martirosyan theoretically didn’t rule out the possible
concentration of uranium in Armenia, and added that the matter concerns
the exploitation of uranium-bearing deposits, and later on – sending
the ore to Russia where it will be concentrated.

To note, research on the content of recoverable minerals of uranium
in Armenia is held by the Global Gold Corporation (GGC) US company at
the Getik deposit of precious and non-ferrous metals in a 2.5 thsd
ha area. To remind, Victor Soghomonyan, the press-secretary of the
Armenian President, has recently said about the intention to set up
an Armenian-Russian commission for possible development of U-mines
in Armenia. He also noted that official Yerevan is not going to
concentrate uranium in Armenia.

In Soviet times, the department of Nuclear Physics of the Institute
of Applied Physics and the "Mashtots" Engineering Center (where secret
research on uranium was held) actively functioned in the structure of
the Armenian National Academy of Sciences. According to unconfirmed
data, the research revealed uranium deposits in the Gegharkunik
(Getik deposit) and Syunik (near the towns of Sisian and Kajaran)
regions of Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress