Ilham Aliyev: Main purpose of West Industrial Park is mining industry development

The main purpose behind creating the West Industrial Park is precisely the development of the mining industry, President Ilham Aliyev said at a meeting chaired by him and dedicated to the State Program for the Development of the Mining (Metal Ores) and Metallurgical Industries for 2027-2030, Report informs.

"This is because the exploitation of the 'Dashkasan' ore deposit and the execution of other projects in adjacent areas necessitated the establishment of the West Industrial Park. Here, first and foremost, infrastructure must be established rapidly, and necessary funds must be allocated in the budget for this purpose. A complete chain of the mining industry-all the way to the final product-must be created. Indeed, this entails ore extraction and the establishment of several plants. Beneficiation, pelletizing, and hot briquetted iron plants must be constructed. Naturally, the transportation of this ore occupies an important place here; therefore, concessions should be made on transportation tariffs to ensure economic efficiency. A maximum environmental assessment must be conducted, and all ecological standards must be strictly observed. Because our primary wealth is not even the resources beneath the ground, but our nature. Therefore, we demand and will continue to demand both the protection of nature and compliance with the highest environmental standards from foreign partners. If they fail to comply, they will be penalized. Naturally, the state-owned company 'AzerGold' must meet all environmental standards," the president stressed.