VIDEO. Exclusive Footage: Kajaran Amidst Toxic Dust Cloud

The Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine is the largest taxpayer in Armenia as of 2021, with paid taxes amounting to 48.8 billion drams. FIP.am's footage shows how explosions are conducted in the mine directly adjacent to Kajaran, how the city is enveloped in a dust cloud after the blast, and how the Voghji River, which nourishes the city, dries up following the Combine's water extraction.

The footage highlights inadequate working conditions of the largest enterprise. Kajaran, located between the Zangezur Mountains and the Meghri mountain range, is a city that has been significantly affected by the Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine, which has 'swallowed' the nearby village of Kajaranj. In 1931, Kajaranj had a population of 526, but by 2021, this number had decreased to just 206 residents.

The Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine (ZPMC) is the main source of air pollution in Kajaran and its surroundings, with dust loading in the city growing alongside the expansion of the Combine's production capacity. Before privatization in 2004, ZPMC processed 7-8 million tons of ore annually, whereas in 2021, its annual productivity reached 17.6 million tons, with plans to increase it by an additional 25% this year to make it 22 million tons.

Air quality monitoring for dust is not conducted in Kajaran; only monitoring of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide is performed, according to responses from the Ministry of Environment to FIP.am's inquiry. The ministry stated that the average annual concentrations of sulfur and nitrogen dioxide did not exceed permissible limits in 2020 and 2021.

The filming team of the 'Fact-Checking Platform' documented explosions at the mine on April 19 of this year. Minutes after the explosion, the city is completely covered by a cloud of dust, as the Combine is located within the city's administrative borders, with as little as 1-2 kilometers separating it from populated residential areas. If the wind blows in the opposite direction, the dust is carried toward the village.

Gevorg Manukyan, an employee of the ZPMC, states that this scene is a daily occurrence; explosions happen almost every day in the mine, and in the case of wind and heavy rains, the wastewater floods the city, polluting the Voghji River. According to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, in 2019, ZPMC employed 4,626 citizens, of whom 1,052 were women and 11 were foreign nationals.

According to Gevorg, employees periodically undergo health assessments, but the conducted studies do not reveal the true health conditions of the residents of Kajaranj. "People here don’t even realize they are sick, dedicating themselves to the Combine, working day and night shifts. Some individuals hide their illnesses, while others only become aware of health issues when it is too late," says Gevorg.

It remains unclear how the mine affects the health of the residents, as no targeted studies have ever been conducted by the Ministry of Health. The Ministry informed FIP.am that such research has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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