To many, it was unclear why Canada had rushed into the EU’s observation mission in 2023 in a distant location – on the conventional border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Research led by the Environmental Protection First Coalition has unveiled that Canada is the main shareholder of a company that currently operates the Amuldagh mine, which is located near the conventional border of Armenia and Azerbaijan, disregarding all environmental norms. So, Amuldagh is currently operated by Lydian Armenia, a subsidiary of Lydian Canada Ventures, while the owner of Lydian Canada Ventures is the Canadian company Osisko Gold Royalties, and the other owner is the US investment company Orion Mine Finance.
Lydian Armenia is abusing the Amuldagh field with the help of the Armenian government, relying on the USA and Canadian governments, and discharging all of its chemical waste to Azerbaijan while ignoring the warnings of international and local environmentalists. All of this is taking place right in front of the Canadian and other Western missions that are patrolling the conventional border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
As it is obvious, Canada and the US are trying to obtain billions of dollars from the Amuldagh mine by poisoning the ecology of Azerbaijan. The first gold production is expected from the mine this year.
The ecology-oriented organizations of Azerbaijan and Armenia have already stood up, they have requested the immediate cessation of mining industry works that damage the environment in the Amuldagh field. Despite this, the work has not been stopped. Yesterday, 49 NGOs and eco-activists from 22 countries have demanded ecological justice for the South Caucasus, they have supported the calls of Azerbaijan and Armenia’s civil societies.
The US and Canadian companies and the Armenian government do not authorize ecological monitoring in the Amuldagh mine still to this day and do not disclose the Environmental Impact Assessment document of the works carried out at the mine to the public
