YEREVAN. - One third of drinking water of the Armenian capital city will be contaminated in case mines of neighboring Abovyan and Hrazdan cities are exploited, president of Ekolur NGO Inga Zarafyan told the journalists on Thursday.

Other experts are also concerned over mine industry.

“Hrazdan city is surrounded by various dangerous objects. Gold mining plant is being built there in addition to that. It will have tailing dump, which is also dangerous,” the environmentalist Ruben Yadoyan told and added that gold is mixed with poisoned objects in mines, and all polluted materials remain in Hrazdan.

He stressed that people who learn the methods of mine exploitation in Armenia are being stunned as open exploitation of mines has devastating effect on the soil and water of the area.