Vol. 39 No. 2 (207) (2005)

Nowadays mining industry is considered as one of key branches of economy of the Republic of Armenia. Under circumstances of transition from planned economy to market one, over-appraising of the value of the deposits is required and dictated. As to the deposit of Armanis, the exploitation system should be revised, which at the moment doesn't promote and contribute to profitable utilization. The central part of the afore-mentioned deposit is assumed to exploit via quarrying, which will make possible and cause the curtailing of expenditures for both mining and maintenance of costly underground mountainous yields in operation.

Mineral water resources as additional source for rare metals industry have been discussed in the article. Recovery of rare metals out of thermal, mineral and mine waters with cost-effective ecologic technologies is the main purpose of the paper.

Factors and indicators of the process of desertification of the territory of Armenia are examined; protective measures, which can weaken this negative process, are marked. It's concluded that the process of desertification in the territory of Armenia increased during the last 15-20 years in connection with the activation of geodynamic situation in the region and with unfavorable social- economic conditions as well as sharp changing of dangerous hydrometeorological phenomena and increase of their frequency, connected with the planetary changes of climate.