Azerbaijan confirms Zod gold deposit free of Armenian operations

An Azerbaijani delegation has inspected the Zod gold deposit and confirmed that Armenia is not conducting any mining or operational activities at the site.

The visit dispelled previous concerns from the Azerbaijani side regarding the potential continuation of Armenian operations, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

The inspection follows an agreement reached during the 12th meeting of the State Commission on the Delimitation of the Azerbaijan-Armenia border, held on November 28 in Gabala. The meeting was presided by Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev and his Armenian counterpart Mher Grigoryan. During discussions, officials agreed to carry out an on-site inspection of the Zod gold deposit.

Historically, during the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijan’s Kalbajar district, the Zod deposit was operated by the Armenian side, while all drilling activities since the Soviet era were conducted from Armenian territory. The area is known for its harsh climatic conditions.

Currently, Azerbaijan is constructing transport and logistics infrastructure at the site. Once these works are completed, the Zod deposit will be managed and operated by AzerGold, the country’s national mining company.

By Vafa Guliyeva