Lydian International announced that, as part of the permitting process for the development of its Amulsar project, it has received environmental impact assessment approval for the company’s planned processing of gold-silver using heap leach technology.
The approval process included detailed analyses of alternative leach pad site localities, and the preparation of an independent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, detailing the preferred processing flow-sheet, which included three-stage crushing, conveying and stacking, cyanidation-leaching and gold-silver recovery in a conventional carbon adsorption, desorption and regeneration (ADR) plant. The EIA was prepared by Eco-Audit LLC and submitted to the Ministry of Nature Protection in October 2011.
The company has also submitted a mining production plan, safety plan and EIA to applicable authorities in connection with its planned mine development and production at Amulsar. As part of the approval process, the company intends to submit additional items to the Ministry of Nature Protection for approval, including detailed engineering design for all planned construction activities at Amulsar, a certificate of change of land status and agreements for surface rights in the area of the proposed leach pad site, and ADR processing facilities.
“The approval of the EIA for the processing of minerals using heap leach technology is a very important step for both the company and its local communities,” said Tim Coughlin, president and CEO, Lydian. “Amulsar will be the first completely modern mine adopting heap leach technology in Armenia. We are committed to making this an exemplary showcase project and something the company, the local communities and the country can be proud of.”
