Alexander Avanesov. Very soon work will begin on the implementation of the decree of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, on the inspection at the exploited mines and deposits in Armenia. The Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia Artur Grigoryan told journalists on May 25.

According to him, the department has already received the order of the Prime Minister, work on its implementation has begun. "All research data will be published in a short time," the minister stressed. Earlier, RA Prime Minister instructed the authorities to start inspections at the exploited mines and mineral deposits in Armenia. He noted that recently there have been a lot of signals about the compliance of these mines with the legislation and environmental standards of the country. "We will be consistent in this matter, recently, both in the whole world and in Armenia environmental problems are actively discussed, and a balanced approach is needed in this issue, as well as in a number of others," the prime minister said, stressing that only with this approach will not manage to bring the matter to negative consequences, including those related to investments.

Pashinyan also noted that recently he receives signals that some developers of mines do not fulfill their financial obligations. "We have information that the debts of these companies to the state budget are several hundred million drams," Pashinyan said, adding that the checks will be conducted on all metal fields. According to the prime minister, if it is established that a particular mine or some company can not organize its activities within the framework of the law, then the corresponding legal consequences will follow. "The Armenian government also decided to invite environmental organizations and journalists to take part in these inspections in order to ensure their full transparency," concluded Pashinyan.

The sphere of mining industry occupies a special place in the Armenian economy. At least half of Armenia's exported deposits fall to the share of ore concentrates and metals, which occupy the most important place in the list of products imported from the country. At the state balance of mineral resources, more than 670 deposits of solid minerals with confirmed reserves, including 30 metal deposits, are currently registered. About 400 of these deposits are exploited, including 22 metal ones. There are 7 copper-molybdenum deposits, 4 copper, 14 gold and gold-polymetallic deposits, 2 iron ore and 1 aluminum ore on metallic minerals. In the ore of the deposits registered in the State Balance, in addition to the basic metals, rare elements and their placers have been identified: rhenium, selenium, tellurium, cadmium, indium, helium, waist, bismuth and others.

Currently, for the mining and metallurgical complex of Armenia the final products are mainly concentrates (copper, molybdenum, zinc, in some cases – high in gold and silver, in the near future also lead concentrate), which does not allow to fully exploit the economic potential of the deposits. The organization of production for the processing of minerals mined in Armenia in a closed and final cycle – from extraction to the creation of finished products – will enable production of high-value products, which can provide significant GDP growth.

There are 15 tailing dumps on the territory of Armenia, where waste accumulated during the exploitation of mineral deposits exceeding a few million cubic meters and accumulating about 700 hectares has been accumulated. Currently, industrial wastes accumulated in tailing dumps formed as a result of industrial extraction and processing of minerals are not used, although they contain a considerable amount of polymetals.

The Republic of Armenia also occupies one of the leading places in the world for the richness and diversity of nonmetallic ore reserves. Almost all known ore minerals are found on the small territory of Armenia. Minerals originating in Armenia as a result of volcanic processes, including light rocks such as tuffs, perlites, pumice, zeolites, volcanic slags, etc., are of special value and importance. Huge quantities of reserves of various types of basalt, granite, nepheline syenite, marble. Reserves of the highest quality and the most intumescent rocks (perlites, obsidians and others) are in the world in Armenia. The confirmed reserves of the Aragats-perlite in Armenia are 150 million m3, and the total amount of its projected reserves is up to 3 billion m3. More than 100 basalt and andesite deposits are mapped over the whole territory of Armenia, several of which are unique in their composition (MgO content in basalta from Khalaja reaches up to 11%). The deposits of quartzites, carbonates, zeolites, volcanic slags, pumice, clay, bentonites, diatomites, and gypsum with their significant reserves, which are functioning on the territory of Armenia, are invaluable in their significance and qualitative indicators.