YEREVAN. – A total of 9,700 hectares of Armenia’s lands are allocated to mining enterprises; 8,725 hectares from these lands are abused, whereas 1,400 hectares are under tailings dumps, the Nature Protection Minister’s report states.

In line with the report, around 220 million cubic meters of tailings are accumulated in these dumps, and this degrades the landscape and the biodiversity. In addition, the open-pit mines completely break down the natural landscape and the ecosystem.

Also, the groundwater’s flow and content is changing. There also are water basins whose flora and fauna have lessened, or changed considerably.    

Furthermore, since some mining ventures are located on high terrain, they cause a serious damage to the landscape located much below.      

The mining industry directly impacts the surface covering, too, and this contributes to greater desertification in Armenia and includes 85 percent of the country’s surface, the Nature Protection Minister’s report also notes.