Sharmazanov urges acting prime minister to help keep Alaverdi copper smelter operating
19.10.2018,
17:35
Deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament Eduard Sharmazanov from the Republican Party of Armenia urged today the Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to do everything possible to prevent the closure of the copper smelter in the northern town of Alaverdi, owned by the Armenian Copper Program CJSC (Vallex Group).
YEREVAN, October 19 /ARKA/. Deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament Eduard Sharmazanov from the Republican Party of Armenia urged today the Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to do everything possible to prevent the closure of the copper smelter in the northern town of Alaverdi, owned by the Armenian Copper Program CJSC (Vallex Group).
In an open letter addressed to the prime minister, Sharmazanov recalls that Alaverdi was created as a copper-smelting center and for at least two and a half centuries has been one of the mining centers of the country. “The livelihood of the majority of Alaverdi residents is directly connected with the smelter. Today, about 650 employees of the factory may be deprived of the opportunity to earn a living for their families," said Sharmazanov.
"As a native of Alaverdi, I urge you to do everything possible and impossible to ensure that the copper smelter in the town continue to work. Otherwise, 650 families may emigrate,' Sharmazanov said, saying also he is ready to help the government in finding ways to avoid the final closure of the plant.
“The closure of the copper smelter in Alaverdi is unacceptable and is fraught with serious consequences. In this struggle, I will support my fellow citizens,” Sharmazanov summarized.
Varag Siseryan, chief of staff of Deputy Acting Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan, wrote on his Facebook page that the government is looking for a solution to the situation. "We have a number of proposals that we are planning to discuss on Monday, when the Acting Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan and the head of Vallex Group Valery Mezhlumyan meet," he wrote. "Besides, tonight, I will receive a group of employees of the smelter to discuss their concerns," concluded Siseryan.
Armenia’s Nature Protection Inspectorate said September 28 that the Armenian Copper Program (ACP), a private company engaged in exploration, development, production, processing and marketing of minerals and metals in northern Armenian province of Lori, had caused about 380 million drams ($788 thousand) worth environmental damage It said this damage to the environment has been caused by air and water pollution, as well as by improper storage of waste.
The company has been operating in Armenia since 1997. Earlier it was called Manes and Valles. The company's copper smelting plant and copper mine, located in the city of Alaverdi, have a 250-year history. In the 18-19 centuries the copper-smelting plant produced 60-200 tons of copper per year. In the beginning of the 20th century - about 2 thousand tons. The production peak came in the 1980s, when the annual output reached 55 thousand tons of pure copper.
The company's facilities allow processing of 50,000 tons of concentrate per year and produce up to 12,000 tons of blister copper. Currently, the company receives the entire volume of copper concentrate needed for the production of blister copper from the Base Metals mining deposit Kashen. The rough copper is sold to German Aurubis AG. -0-
In an open letter addressed to the prime minister, Sharmazanov recalls that Alaverdi was created as a copper-smelting center and for at least two and a half centuries has been one of the mining centers of the country. “The livelihood of the majority of Alaverdi residents is directly connected with the smelter. Today, about 650 employees of the factory may be deprived of the opportunity to earn a living for their families," said Sharmazanov.
"As a native of Alaverdi, I urge you to do everything possible and impossible to ensure that the copper smelter in the town continue to work. Otherwise, 650 families may emigrate,' Sharmazanov said, saying also he is ready to help the government in finding ways to avoid the final closure of the plant.
“The closure of the copper smelter in Alaverdi is unacceptable and is fraught with serious consequences. In this struggle, I will support my fellow citizens,” Sharmazanov summarized.
Varag Siseryan, chief of staff of Deputy Acting Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan, wrote on his Facebook page that the government is looking for a solution to the situation. "We have a number of proposals that we are planning to discuss on Monday, when the Acting Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan and the head of Vallex Group Valery Mezhlumyan meet," he wrote. "Besides, tonight, I will receive a group of employees of the smelter to discuss their concerns," concluded Siseryan.
Armenia’s Nature Protection Inspectorate said September 28 that the Armenian Copper Program (ACP), a private company engaged in exploration, development, production, processing and marketing of minerals and metals in northern Armenian province of Lori, had caused about 380 million drams ($788 thousand) worth environmental damage It said this damage to the environment has been caused by air and water pollution, as well as by improper storage of waste.
The company has been operating in Armenia since 1997. Earlier it was called Manes and Valles. The company's copper smelting plant and copper mine, located in the city of Alaverdi, have a 250-year history. In the 18-19 centuries the copper-smelting plant produced 60-200 tons of copper per year. In the beginning of the 20th century - about 2 thousand tons. The production peak came in the 1980s, when the annual output reached 55 thousand tons of pure copper.
The company's facilities allow processing of 50,000 tons of concentrate per year and produce up to 12,000 tons of blister copper. Currently, the company receives the entire volume of copper concentrate needed for the production of blister copper from the Base Metals mining deposit Kashen. The rough copper is sold to German Aurubis AG. -0-
