YEREVAN. - Proven reserves of molybdenum in Armenia are estimated at 857 thousand tons, Khachik Saponjyan, head of natural resources agency at the Energy Ministry, told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to him, the reserves of A, B and C1 categories (termed as “measured” and “indicated” respectively by the USGS classification) total 856.776 thousand tons. Preliminary estimated reserves (C2) make 31.309 tons. Thus, the total volume of reserves is estimated at about 888.1 tons.

The reserves, production of which is now economically feasible, constitute 82% of that amount - about 725 thousand tons, while prospective reserves (category P1) total 3.1 tons.

Armenia’s largest molybdenum mine is Kajaran copper-molybdenum field operated by Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Plant. The reserves of this mine are estimated at 722 thousand tons.

The second largest mine is Teghut (100 tons), licensed to Vallex Group. Development of the field is expected to start in the second half of 2013.

Reserves of the third largest Agarak molybdenum mine are estimated at 9.6 tons.