ArmInfo. Ambassador Tracy visited the Lydian mine project site in Amulsar on April 20. The Ambassador encouraged an expeditious and transparent resolution of outstanding disputes around the project.
According to the press service of the US Embassy in Armenia, she welcomed Lydian's commitment to upholding the highest international labor and environmental standards and noted the potential for the project to serve as a significant driver of growth for Armenia's economy.
Ecologists and ordinary citizens are concerned that the development of the mine may lead to contamination of the mineral underground waters of Jermuk and Lake Sevan. In addition to the water basin, the public is also concerned about the possible presence of uranium reserves at the mine. EBRD and IFC, which are among the shareholders of Lydian International, left the ownership body due to environmental problems and the "unhealthy situation" around the project.
Since the end of 2018, the mine has been blocked by environmental activists. Construction work on it had to be suspended.
It should be noted that in March 2022, Minister of Economy of Armenia Vahan Kerobyan noted that "if nothing interferes, the work of the Amulsar gold mine will be resumed", referring to the department's program of measures, which contains a provision on resolving the Amulsar issue.
However, the issue of reopening Lydian has not yet been resolved, despite expert opinions regarding the environmental safety of the project and the costs already incurred for the construction of the mine and other activities in the amount of about $180 million.
Lydian Armenia is a subsidiary of the British offshore company Lydian International. The total cost of the Amulsar project is $370 million. The life of the mine is 10 years and 4 months, while it is planned to produce an average of 200 thousand ounces of gold annually. The mine is the second largest in Armenia. According to the company, the mine contains about 73,733 kg of gold with an average grade of 0.78 g per ton, as well as 294,367 tons of silver with an average grade of 9.29 g per ton. It is located in the south-east of the country, 13 km from the resort town of Jermuk, in the interfluve of the Arpa and Vorotan rivers.