Within the framework of the criminal proceeding initiated in Lori Regional Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee on land degradation, factual data were obtained on the allegation that on February 20, 2013, the Ministry granted the mining company a subsoil use permit for the extraction of minerals for the purpose of operating the Teghout copper-molybdenum mine. The permit expired on February 8, 2026; however, however the company continued its operations. 

In addition, on March 16 and 17, 2026, another company illegally removed a large quantity of fertile topsoil from the tailings storage facility area of the mining complex in the Teghout settlement of Lori region and transported it by truck to the site of the former Alaverdi Mining and Metallurgical Plant, without the required permit, for subsequent use in tree-planting activities.

As a result of large-scale investigative and procedural actions conducted in the course of the preliminary investigation of the criminal proceeding, it was found out that the company provided another company with 988.6 square meters of black-soil material from the area of a tailings storage facility, thereby causing soil degradation.

The damage in the amount of 4 million 911 thousand AMD caused to the state has been completely recovered in the course of the preliminary investigation.