Sarsang reservoir, Artsakh
BY JOSEPH DAGDIGIAN
It was recently reported that exploration for oil and gas in parts of Armenia would begin soon. Having seen some of the environmental destruction caused by Armenia’s mining industry, I have little confidence in Armenia’s ability to protect the environment from damage from mining and, in the future, from petroleum and gas production.
In the U.S. we are often reminded of gas wells contaminating ground water and negatively affecting the health of nearby communities. Should we not expect the same or worse in Armenia?
Following is a reference to a special issue of the Noyan Tapan newspaper regarding mining, together with some personal observations of mining’s effects in Armenia:
Amulsar gold mine
The August 2, 2017 edition of the English language Armenian newspaper, Noyan Tapan, dedicated its entire issue to four reports critiquing the Amulsar gold mine.
The front page of Noyan Tapan contains a plea, printed in red:
“Dear Reader: This special issue is completely dedicated to Amulsar Gold Mine. We hope it will attract the attention of our readers including RA officials, heads of international organizations, foreign ambassadors, and the international Armenian community, and together we will be able to prevent this disaster.â€
