OREANDA-NEWS. August 12, 2009. “Our population is very anxious that uranium exploitation is to begin. Please, come to Lernadzor and inform the locals.” This statement was made by Stepan Petrosyan, Head of Lernadzor Community in Syunik Marz, at the public hearings on the uranium project.

 “Conducing Geological Investigations of Uranium Deposits and Accompanying  Mineral Products in Syunik Marz” project was presented to the public in Kapan by the Ministry of Power and Natural Resources and “Armenian-Russian Mining Company” CJSC supported by the local government of Syunik Marz. The representatives of the local communities, those of state bodies, NGOs and mass media took part in the hearings.

As Areg Galstyan, Power and Natural Resources Deputy Minister (Areg Galstyan is simultaneously the Chairman of Directors Board of “Armenian-Russian Mining Company” CJSC), stated the project is open for discussions. However, as it turned out, the company did not submit any data on the impact of the project on environment and the population health.

The speech about the project was submitted by Sergey Grigoryan, Scientific Consultant of the Company, Academician of NAS RA, who is largely famous for his scientific investigations in the field of geological chemistry. He told about the geochemical characteristics of the project and said that the main outcomes will be obtained by the end of this year. It should be noted that the company has 5 years to conduct complete investigations.

To all appearance, the company possesses the results of two famous expeditions, those of Gromov and Koltsov that were confidential in the past. In the 1960’s Gromov and Koltsov were actively engaged in the search for uranium deposits in the territory of the USSR, including Armenia. According to A. Galstyan, these materials have been declassified recently. “Until recently I myself had to obtain special permission to study these materials,” the Deputy Minister said.

Among the materials there is a radiometric map of Syunik (see the photos) that shows the color gamma of uranium developments with the most intense development in the territory of Pkhrout-Lernadzor. As A. Grigoryan said, surface samples with a depth of 10-15 cm will be taken in the frames of the investigations, and the analysis results will be compared with the former results. Then a special methodology will specify quantitative and other characteristics of uranium reserves in Syunik. In case of encouraging results, a new project will be worked out already on the exploitation of the uranium deposits. As the company promised, this new project will also be presented to public discussions. The territory for investigations makes up 25 square km that includes the drainage area of the Pkhrout River, the surroundings of Kajaran Village and Lernadzor Community.

In the past Academician Grigoryan expressed against uranium exploitations in Armenia for two reasons. “Huge uranium reserves were discovered in Russia and Kazakhstan. There is no point is starting a uranium project on such a small territory as Armenia,” he said once. Since then the territory of Armenia has not increased, while uranium reserves worldwide has significantly overdeveloped. In this viewpoint, one should expect an official positive opinion on the proposed project.

The public representatives were deeply concerned with the uranium project. As it was above mentioned, it was Stepan Petrosyan, Head of Lernadzor Community, who was most anxious. Lernadzor consists of 9 small communities; meanwhile 4 of them with a population of 700 people are situated on the site where the implementation of the uranium project is proposed. The case becomes more complicated as “Lureal” Company actively carries out borings in the search for rare and precious metals next to the territory designed for uranium investigations. The local population is concerned with the fact that the boring will disturb the integrity of uranium ores occurring in the depth and radioactive contamination of the surface will occur. The reply that the territory for the investigations conducted by “Lureal” Company does not coincide with the territory for the uranium investigations was not entirely sufficient for Stepan Petrosyan and  he asked the company representatives to visit the communities on the spot and to answer their questions.

Geologist Rubik Hovhannisyan continued this topic and paid attention to the fact that the nature of uranium is migratory, especially when the deposits are opened. Taking into consideration the migratory factor he suggested to give these territories clear-cut boundaries and special status.   

Vladik Martirosyan, the President of “Khoustoup” NGO paid special attention to the possible radioactive contamination of the underground water. “If an ore body is in the depth, it is isolated and does not manifest itself.  But if to open it, the interconnection with environment is evident. First of all, the underground water sources will be affected. This region includes the drainage area of the Pkhrout River. How are you going to decontaminate the underground waters?” Martirosyan asked. In reply, Academician Grigoryan presented the scheme for uranium underground leaching from the ore by sulphuric acid. According to the Academician’s explanations, uranium and consequently radioactivity will pass into the concentrated solution kept in the underground gallery isolated from the surroundings, which will later be enclosed in special tanks. He did not exclude the probability of constructing an underground damping tail. In our opinion, the Academician’s explanation may also mean that, as a matter of fact, not only the investigation project is actively worked out, but also the scheme for the uranium extraction as a concentrate. 

One of the questions about social and ecological responsibility of the company was left unanswered. “This question is still early to ask. If we begin to exploit, all the measures will be included in the next project to be submitted to state expertise,” Galstyan said.

 “Prices for uranium go up. Would not it be better, if we leave these deposits to our next generations?” asked Amalya Hambardzumyan, Khazer NGO, noting that the country does not have worked out a strategy in regard to deposit exploitation. In reply to this question, Areg Galstyan mentioned the need to construct the new block in Armenian nuclear power station and said, “If we don’t perform this, we will again find ourselves in the energy crisis of the 90’s.”

Suggestions were also made to invite independent experts for the project assessment and to exercise control over the radiation situation.

On behalf of the Alliance for Environmental NGOs a suggestion was made to carry out public hearings in Yerevan taking into consideration that this project concerns the interests of the whole population.

After the end of the discussions the received the official protocol drawn up by the organizers. We bring some extracts from this protocol: “... the authorized representative from Lernadzor Community noted with satisfaction that the negative impact on the environment will be minimum and there will be opportunity to create work places for the locals…:” Then “...he stated with confidence that as a result of geological-chemical investigations carried out by the company, the development of the region will be certain and perspective…”

This protocol also says “… the representatives of the communities stressed the importance of additional work places and clarified the issues concerning the impact on environment…”

As main results of the hearings, the protocol mentions “Taking into consideration the possible risks arising from the aforementioned project activity, as well as the issues connected with the region development, its security and other socio-economic issued, the communities agree not to hinder the implementation of the project.”

For our part, we shall mention that during the hearings we did not hear either the given assessment from either of local representatives, including Deputy Marz Head Vache Grigoryan, or Kajaran Mayor Vardan Gevorgyan. So, when welcoming guests and the event the Marz Head mentioned “Our region has a number of environmental problems that have accumulated over many years. We hope to get answers to the questions that disturb us,” he said.