Armenia

Introduction 

In 2024, Armenia was the sixth-ranked producer of molybdenum and accounted for 3.2% of global production. The country also ranked 10th in the production of perlite (tied with Mexico), accounting for 0.6% of global production, and ranked 8th in the production of rhenium, accounting for 0.3% of global production. Other mineral commodities produced in the country included aluminum and aluminum products, bentonite, cement, mined copper, ferromolybdenum, mined gold, gypsum, lime, salt, mined silver, steel products, tuff, and mined zinc. Data on mineral production are in Production table (formerly table 1). The value added by the mining and quarrying sector contributed 3.0% to the country’s gross domestic product. In 2024, Armenia exported 341,500 metric tons (t) of copper ore and concentrates valued at \$558 million and 11.4 t of molybdenum concentrates valued at \$221 million. Copper ore and concentrates were primarily exported to China (76.6%) and Bulgaria (13.3%) and molybdenum concentrates were mostly exported to Belgium (41.6%), China (25.6%), Russia (13.2%), the Republic of Korea(6.3%), and Thailand (5.3%) (National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia, 2025, p. 26; Oganesyan, 2025; Polyak, 2026a, b; Simmons, 2026).  

Armenia’s mining sector was governed by the Subsoil Code (Law No. HO-280-N), which went into effect in 2012 and stipulates that any parts of subsoil may not be subject to sale or other forms of alienation. The Code describes the rights of subsoil users and the responsibilities and obligations of the engaged parties and government authorities, and other issues related to the mining sector operations. The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure is responsible for issuing both exploration and mining licenses. The mineral industry was dominated by privately owned companies; few exceptions included Zangezur copper-molybdenum complex (ZCMC) and the Amulsar gold mine in preparation to begin production, which were partially owned by the Government. The Facilities table (formerly table 2) is a list of major mineral industry facilities. More-extensive coverage of government policies and programs can be found in previous editions of this chapter in the U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook, volume III, Area Reports — International — Europe and Central Eurasia, which are available at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/europ… (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, 2024; Ecolex.org, 2026; Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia, 2026). 

Commodity Review 

Molybdenum.—In 2024, Armenia’s molybdenum production decreased by 27% to 5,973 t. Armenia had three enterprises engaged in mining molybdenum—Agarak copper-molybdenum mining and processing complex (ACMC), Teghout copper-molybdenum complex (operated by ZAO Teghout and owned by VTB Bank and private investors), and Zangezur copper-molybdenum complex (ZCMC). ACMC and ZCMC also produced rhenium as a byproduct of copper production. The leading copper-molybdenum mines in Armenia were the Agarak (operated by ACMC), the Kajaran (operated by ZCMC), and the Teghout (operated by the ZAO Teghout) Mines. In addition to production of molybdenum concentrates, the country also produced ferromolybdenum (Facilities table; Production table). 

Perlite.—In 2024, Armenia’s perlite production increased almost four times, to 53,600 t, compared with production in 2023. OAO Aragats-Perlite Co., which was located in Aragantsotn Region, was the leading producer of perlite in the country. According to a media report known resources of the Aragats perlite deposit were 150 million cubic meters, and total forecast resources amounted to 3 billion cubic meters (Facilities table; Production table; Avanesov, 2020; OAO Aragats-Perlite Co., 2026). 

Production table

(Metric tons, gross weight, unless otherwise specified)

References Cited 

• Avanesov, Aleksandr, 2020, V Armenii investor ne poluchit razresheniy na razrabotku mestorozhdeniya pri otsutstvii issledovaniy po zapasam rudnika [In Armenia an investor will not receive a mining license if the reserves studies are not done]: Yerevan, Armenia, Financial Portal Arminfo, July 8. (Accessed January 10, 2026, at https://finport.am/full_news.php?id=42490.) [In Russian.] 

• Ecolex.org, 2026, Subsoil Code (Law No. HO-280-N): Ecolex.org. (Accessed April 3, 2026, at https://www.ecolex.org/details/legislation/subsoil-code-law-no-ho-280-n…;

• Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative 2024 Armenia: Oslo, Norway, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. (Accessed January 10, 2026, at https://eiti.org/countries/Armenia.) 

• Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia, 2026, Home page: Yerevan, Armenia, Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia. (Accessed April 3, 2026, at https://www.mtad.am/en.) 

• National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia, 2025, National accounts of Armenia: Yerevan, Armenia, National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia, 136 p. (Accessed January 10, 2026, via https://armstat.am/en/?nid=82&id=2773.)  

• OAO Aragats-Perlite Co., 2026, Home page: Yerevan, Armenia, OAO Aragats-Perlite Co.. (Accessed January 10, 2026, at https://aragatsperlite.am/eng/1/Home.) 

• Oganesyan, Alina, 2025, Armeniya v 2024 godu narastila eksport mednoy rudy, kontsentratov tsinka i molibdena [Armenia increased exports of copper ore and zinc and molybdenum concentrates]: Yerevan, Armenia, Financial Portal Arminfo, August 11. (Accessed October 15, 2025, at https://finport.am/full_news.php?id=53828.) [In Russian.] 

• Polyak, D.E., 2026a, Molybdenum: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 130–131. 

• Polyak, D.E., 2026b, Rhenium: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 156–157. 

• Simmons, K.J., 2026, Perlite: U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, p. 140–141.