Lydian, the leading specialists in the field, and their career paths

In 2017, I was hosted by the Faculty of Mining and Metallurgy at the National Polytechnic University of Armenia. During my visit, I presented the Amulsar project to students and faculty members, additionally, I tried to encourage young students by highlighting the numerous opportunities for professional development that mining projects like Amulsar can offer to emerging professionals.

Today, I confidently make the same claim on every occasion, as throughout 18 years of Lydian Armenia's activity, I have seen young Armenian professionals aged 23-26 grow into leading specialists in the field, both in Armenia and abroad, acquire knowledge, and develop over the years. This growth and development were made possible in the frame of and thanks to the Amulsar project.

When I initiated the geological exploration in Amulsar in 2006 with local and international partners, I never imagined that years of hard work would lead us to discover one of the largest gold deposits in Armenia and it would face so many challenges.

Even more surprising was the significant impact that Amulsar would have on the lives and professional growth of many young Armenians involved in the project. Most of them spent their best years working at Lydian, collaborating with distinguished international experts to design the best mine in Armenia in terms of environmental, technological, and social management. As a result, they developed into in-demand specialists not only in the local market but also in the international arena.

Mining Journal award, exemplary EIA, and our young specialists

In 2011, Lydian received the “Outstanding Achievement” award by Mining Journal for the discovery and exploration of the Amulsar mine, a significant achievement for our team of young professionals on the global stage. Over five years, our geologists, led by experienced English geologist Tim Coughlin and myself, worked tirelessly to earn this recognition.

Back then Argam Snkhchyan was our senior geologist, who joined Lydian at the age of 26, and 24 years old Hovhannes Karapetyan was making his first steps in geology. Today, both are highly sought-after professionals who work on various mining projects in Morocco, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Georgia, and other countries.

At the start of their career, Amulsar allowed these young specialists to collaborate with more than 100 of the world's top geologists, who shared their knowledge and experience and provided guidance. As a result, we developed the best mining project, which won an international award and witnessed the growth of high-class geologists before our very eyes.

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