BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 2. The Environmental Protection First coalition has conducted a media briefing to discuss the negative impacts of the Armenian Amuldag (Amulsar) gold field on the region's environment and ecosystem, Trend reports.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Public Council at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Amin Mammadov stated that the environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for the Amuldag gold field activities has yet to be revealed.
"Statements of protest urging the suspension of mining activities at this field, causing environmental damage, have been made even within Armenia. The field operations, posing a serious threat to biodiversity and water resources, lead to negative consequences for the entire region," he noted.
The Chairperson of the Public Association for Environmental Education and Monitoring of Azerbaijan Gamza Yusubova pointed out that the Amuldag field exploitation continues in violation of all environmental norms, neglecting EIA documents.
"Waste from the Amuldag gold field is released into the Bargushad (Vorotan) river, which contaminates the Araz river via the Hakari river. This causes significant harm to the ecosystem, biodiversity, and water bodies," she explained. "The Amuldag field is 13 kilometers from Istisu, a city famed for its natural mineral water supplies. As a result, exploiting this deposit has a negative impact on Istisu's mineral resources. It also causes severe health issues for people."
"The field is situated between the Arpachay and Bazarchay rivers. Both rivers, flowing through the territory of Azerbaijan, discharge into the Araz river, and from there into the Caspian Sea. This poses serious problems not only for Azerbaijan but for all countries in the Caspian region," the NGO's member said.
She also mentioned that over 100 civil society organizations and eco-activists in Armenia have expressed support for the idea that the exploitation of the Amuldag field poses a serious threat to biodiversity and water resources.
The Chairperson of the Service for the Sake of Health Public Association, Parvana Valiyeva noted that work at the Amuldag field isn't conducted transparently, and the field's operation resulted in contamination of all nearby rivers and freshwater resources with radioactive substances.
She mentioned that cyanide technology, banned in many countries, is used in gold mining operations in the considered field.
"This also poses a serious threat to the mineral water sources of Istisu, Lake Goycha, the Arpachay river, and even the Caspian Sea. The Armenian side should create conditions for monitoring at the Amuldag field," Valiyeva said.
"As the Environmental Protection First group, we once again address the firms that operate there. They must either stop using this deposit or submit environmental impact assessment documents on their website. This information must be accessible to the public," the NGO's head stated.
"We urge allowing foreign and Azerbaijani experts in the field of public health and ecology, as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations, to monitor the field. Expertise, on-site inspections of deposit activities, particular measurements, and sample collection must be available," she added.
Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel