Los Angeles, February 27 – LA Times.com։ Armenia’s mining sector dates back to the dawn of time, but needs continued investment.
Roman Khudoliy has worked in Armenia since 2007 so is well placed to discuss the mining sector’s successes and shortcomings. He leads ZCMC, a company at the heart of the industry.
How has ZCMC earned its historical role in Armenia’s industrial landscape?
In 2022, we celebrated ZCMC’s 70th anniversary — project operations began in 1952. However, mining in this region goes back much further, to the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages. Archaeological finds show that people were mining here as early as the 6th–7th centuries BC.
The company started producing in 1952 with 215 tons of ore. Today, we produce 23 million tons a year — what took a year then is produced in just three days now. Built during Soviet times, ZCMC was an important enterprise that offered training and recognition for skilled workers. The company even received the Order of Lenin, the highest honor, showing appreciation for the people and their work. Beyond any ideology, it was about community.
Many families have worked here for generations, which adds an emotional and managerial responsibility. Today, ZCMC employs 4,700 people, mostly fr om the surrounding communities of Kapan and Kajaran. The mine supports not only direct jobs but also a wider economic ecosystem, including supply chains and local services.
We are proud to be the top taxpayer in Armenia for the fourth year in a row. Our contribution to GDP is around 3%, and we account for 5–7% of exports. Even more meaningful is our impact on the local community: while Armenia’s average poverty rate is 24% and some regions reach 40%, in Syunik, wh ere we operate, it’s just 7%.
Today, we have plans to expand the processing capacity to 30 million tons of ore in the coming years and we aim to reach 40 million later on.
Read the full interview here:
https://https://shorturl.at/9zXIo