MFA_Report_on_the_occupied_territories_March_2016_1
MFA_Report_on_the_occupied_territories_March_2016_1
MFA_Report_on_the_occupied_territories_March_2016_1
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Back in February 1995, <strong>the</strong> Nati<strong>on</strong>al Academy<br />
of Sciences of Armenia opened a geology<br />
laboratory in <strong>the</strong> <strong>occupied</strong> <strong>territories</strong>, which<br />
worked closely with <strong>the</strong> Institute of Geological<br />
Sciences of Armenia. The laboratory was<br />
tasked to investigate and map <strong>the</strong> natural<br />
resources in those <strong>territories</strong> and put forward<br />
proposals for <strong>the</strong>ir exploitati<strong>on</strong>. 418 Advisor to<br />
Bako Sahakyan <strong>on</strong> geology issues Grigorii<br />
Gabrielyants c<strong>on</strong>firmed that in 1990’s<br />
Armenia’s Vallex Group CJSC was even<br />
c<strong>on</strong>ducting explorati<strong>on</strong> of oil in <strong>the</strong> Nagorno-<br />
Karabakh regi<strong>on</strong> of Azerbaijan. The works were<br />
Armenia's Vallex Group chairman Valeri Mejlumyan (centre) visiting<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>occupied</strong> <strong>territories</strong> of Azerbaijan<br />
│Photo from www.vallexgroup.am│29 July 2012<br />
halted because <strong>the</strong> deposits were not commercially feasible. 419 Mining of <strong>the</strong> precious minerals<br />
and metals, as well as of base metals is <strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong> main enterprises in <strong>the</strong> <strong>occupied</strong> <strong>territories</strong>. 420<br />
According to <strong>the</strong> Armenian sources, <strong>the</strong>re are 15 metallic and 51 n<strong>on</strong>-metallic mines, particularly<br />
those of c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> materials (sand, limest<strong>on</strong>e etc.), in <strong>the</strong> <strong>occupied</strong> <strong>territories</strong>, out of which 48<br />
have “licenses” for development, 13 are being explored and 2 are developed. 421<br />
According to <strong>the</strong> Armenian sources, explorati<strong>on</strong>/exploitati<strong>on</strong> works are carried out in coal<br />
deposits in Chardagly (Tartar district), Narynjlar and Kolatagh villages (Kalbajar district); copper<br />
and o<strong>the</strong>r n<strong>on</strong>-ferrous metals, including gold deposits located near <strong>the</strong> villages of Heyvaly,<br />
Demirli, Vangli (Kalbajar), Qasapet (Tartar), Gazanchi (Aghdam), Turshsu (Susha), Zardanashen;<br />
pyrite deposits near Gyzylgaya, Vangli, Gulyatag, Qasapet. Ir<strong>on</strong> deposits are exploited in Sor<br />
and Chardagly. There is a large deposit of rose marble in Harov village near Khankandi, which is<br />
also being exploited. Tuff deposits are developed near Vangli village. 422 There is lime pit near <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>occupied</strong> town of Zangilan. 423<br />
Base Metals CJSC, which is a wholly owned<br />
subsidiary of <strong>the</strong> Armenia's Vallex Group CJSC,<br />
registered in Liechtenstein, 424 since 2002 has<br />
been exploiting Gyzylbulag underground<br />
copper-gold mine near Heyvaly village in<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>occupied</strong> Kalbajar district of Azerbaijan<br />
(referred to by Armenia as “Drmb<strong>on</strong>” mine). 425<br />
Predatory exploitati<strong>on</strong> of that mine led to its<br />
almost complete depleti<strong>on</strong>. In 2013, Valeri<br />
Mejlumyan, Chairman of <strong>the</strong> Vallex Group<br />
CJSC 426 , predicted that <strong>the</strong>y “have three<br />
years left to exhaust Drmb<strong>on</strong>’s remaining ore<br />
reserves”. 427 The mine has reportedly been<br />
Ore processing plant at <strong>the</strong> Gyzylbulag underground mine near<br />
Heyvaly village in <strong>the</strong> <strong>occupied</strong> Kalbajar district<br />
│Photo from www.bm-old.vallexgroup.am<br />
418<br />
See “Karabagh’s Natural Resources”, 09 November 2001, .<br />
419<br />
See “Chief geologist of Karabakh: We do not need oil rush”, News.am, 10 August 2013, (in<br />
Russian language).<br />
420<br />
See “On 7 October Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan c<strong>on</strong>voked a working c<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> activities carried out by<br />
<strong>the</strong> ‘Base Metals’ company in our republic’s mining field”, Artsakhtert.com, 08 October 2013, .<br />
421<br />
See “Mining Industry: Serious Perspectives or Hard Heritage?”, Ecolur.org, 30 September 2013, .<br />
422<br />
See “The regi<strong>on</strong>s of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in Figures: 2007–2013” (in Russian language), .<br />
423<br />
See “Kovsakan Mayor Hopeful Water Issue Will be Resolved So<strong>on</strong>”, Hetq.am, 29 January 2014, <br />
424<br />
See “Armenian Mining Giant To Expand Karabakh Operati<strong>on</strong>s”, Azatutyun.am, 20 <strong>March</strong> 2012, .<br />
425<br />
See “Base Metals Launches Sec<strong>on</strong>d Mine in Artsakh; An Open-Pit Operati<strong>on</strong>”, Hetq.am, 03 July 2013, .<br />
426<br />
See “Teghout: A C<strong>on</strong>tentious Danish Investment in Armenia”, Civilnet.am, 26 September 2014, .<br />
427<br />
See “Base Metals Launches Sec<strong>on</strong>d Mine in Artsakh; An Open-Pit Operati<strong>on</strong>”, Hetq.am, 03 July 2013, .<br />
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