Lydian Experts Ready to Implement 15 Out of 16 Mitigation Measures, Says Head of Investigative Committee

During today's government meeting, the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Armenia, Hayk Grigoryan, discussed the expertise regarding the exploitation of Amulsar and presented its conclusions.

'There is no connection between the underground waters of Amulsar and Lake Sevan; however, in the event of an earthquake, it is possible for acidic drainage concentrations to seep into the basin of Lake Sevan. Yet, the concentration in the volumes of Lake Sevan will be insignificant,' said the Chairman of the Investigative Committee.

He noted that the impact of the underground waters of Amulsar on the rivers Vorotan and Arpa is possible, but if Lydian International implements the 16 mitigation measures proposed by the expert group, these risks will be manageable.

'Lydian experts are ready to implement 15 out of the 16 mitigation measures. Ten are already being applied, and five are prepared to be applied in the future. One mitigation measure is still under discussion.'

'To receive funding from the World Bank, Lydian must align its activities with the AFC standard. This stipulates that mitigation measures must be implemented for 100 years after the mine's use. Experts propose to follow Nevada's standards, which require mitigation measures for 500 years,' he said.

He also mentioned that Lydian is not refusing the application of mitigation measures for over 100 years if necessary in the future.

Prime Minister Pashinyan responded, 'Government representatives will familiarize themselves with the full document, and as a result, we will come to a conclusion.'