Clarification from the Investigation Committee Regarding the Amulsar Mine Examination

«Earth link & Advanced Resources Development» (ELARD) company has been engaged in the complex examination designated for the exploitation of the Amulsar gold-bearing quartzite mine after winning the competition announced by the RA Investigative Committee for this purpose. This information was provided in a clarification released by the Information and Public Relations Department of the RA Investigative Committee.

«In light of the speculations appearing in the mass media regarding the designated complex examination for the exploitation of the Amulsar gold-bearing quartzite mine, we inform you that the ‘Earth link & Advanced Resources Development’ (ELARD) company has been involved in the complex examination assigned in the investigation of the criminal case underway in the main department of especially important cases of the RA Investigative Committee as a result of winning the corresponding competition announced by the RA Investigative Committee,» the clarification states.

Recall that on November 8, 2018, a procedure for the preliminary assessment of the international independent expertise for the environmental impact assessment and the assessment of environmental and social impacts for the exploitation of the Amulsar gold-bearing quartzite mine was announced in the criminal case being investigated in the main department of especially important cases of the RA Investigative Committee.

International professional companies submitted bids to participate in the competition. As a result, the ‘Earth link & Advanced Resources Development’ (ELARD) company was declared the winner and has signed a contract with the RA Investigative Committee for conducting the complex examinations appointed for the exploitation of the Amulsar gold-bearing quartzite mine, as well as for the expertise of the reports generated for the environmental impact assessment and environmental and social impact assessments in connection with the mine’s exploitation.

On February 21, 2019, the proposed draft decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia regarding amendments to the decision No. 1515-N dated December 27, 2018, of the Government of the Republic of Armenia and allocating funds to the Investigative Committee was approved at a government meeting.

According to the draft, an amount of $396,900 is allocated to the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia to be transferred to the ‘Earth link & Advanced Resources Development’ (ELARD) company for conducting the complex examinations designated for the exploitation of the Amulsar gold-bearing quartzite mine, as well as for the expertise of the reports concerning the environmental impact assessments and environmental and social impact assessments generated for the mine’s exploitation,” the clarification concludes.