Digitization and publication of data in the “Republican Geological Fund” SNCO (AM0016)
Overview
At-a-Glance
Action Plan: Armenia, Second Action Plan, 2014-16
Action Plan Cycle: 2014
Status:
Institutions
Lead Institution: Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia
Support Institution(s): USAID (upon consent)
Policy Areas
Access to Information, Energy, Extractive Industries, Open DataIRM Review
IRM Report: Armenia End-of-Term Report 2014-2016, Armenia IRM Progress Report for 2014-2015
Early Results: Marginal
Design i
Verifiable: Yes
Relevant to OGP Values: Yes
Ambition (see definition): High
Implementation i
Description
It is planned to fully digitize the information of the fund, at the same time ensuring the digitization of new materials (maps, financial and non-financial reports and other documents).
The program is expected to digitize over 12,000 geological reports on approximately 750 mines and 600 mineral occurrences and 8,000 mapping and drawing packages, to create a website where all the materials will be posted (in PDF, JPG, EXEL and other formats), using the information search principle. Besides, site interactive map will be created to facilitate the exploration of materials posted on the website and the materials will be pinned to the respective RA areas.
The following information will also be posted on the above-mentioned website: on the issued mining rights of subsurface for the purpose of extracting minerals, mining rights to extract minerals from the geological study of subsurface rights, on mining rights for the extraction of underground mineral waters and metal minerals map, which is now published on the website of the RA Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (http://www.minenergy.am). Thus the access to information for the public will be improved.
IRM End of Term Status Summary
1. Digitization and Publication of Data Collected by the “Republican Geological Fund”
Commitment Text:
The geological exploration studies of subsurface collected in the 'Republican Geological Fund' SNCO, as well as the geological and other information gathered during the exploitation of minerals in the form of relevant documents (certificates, reports, drawing materials, etc.) is stored in hard copies, which restricts the availability of geological information to the public.
It is planned to fully digitize the information of the fund, at the same time ensuring the digitization of new materials (maps, financial and non-financial reports, and other documents).
The program is expected to digitize over 12,000 geological reports on approximately 750 mines and 600 mineral occurrences and 8,000 mapping and drawing packages, to create a website where all the materials will be posted (in PDF, JPG, EXCEL and other formats), using the information search principle. Besides, site interactive map will be created to facilitate the exploration of materials posted on the website and the materials will be pinned to the respective RA areas.
The following information will also be posted on the above-mentioned website: on the issued mining rights of subsurface for the purpose of extracting minerals, mining rights to extract minerals from the geological study of subsurface rights, on mining rights for the extraction of underground mineral waters and metal minerals map, which is now published on the website of the RA Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy Infrastructure, accessed June 11, 2017, http://www.minenergy.am/. Thus the access to information for the public will be improved.
Responsible Institution: Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia
Supporting Institution(s): None
Start Date: December 2014... End Date: December 2016
Commitment Aim
This commitment aims to digitize the data stored at the Republican Geological Fund (Fund) to create a publicly accessible repository of geological information, including mining rights, geological research, mineral maps, and financial reports from the exploration of natural resources. If fully implemented, the commitment would make the Fund data easily accessible to the public.
Status
Midterm: Not Started
At the time of writing of the midterm report, Government had not started implementation of this commitment. The Ministry of Energy Infrastructure and Natural Resources was still negotiating financial support for this project with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
End of Term: Substantial
The Government transferred the necessary technical equipment, such as computers and scanners, to the Fund “The Government of Armenia Decree No. 677-A”, arlis.am, June 30, 2016, http://www.arlis.am/. The decree, which pertains to transfer of property without incurring charge, is available in Armenian . . According to the government, by mid-September 2016, about 350 thousand pages and maps for 2500 thousand square meters have been digitized. Since October 2016, information about the Fund has been available online Republican Geological Fund, accessed June 11, 2017, https://www.geo-fund.am/hy/. . Further, according to the Government, about half of the work envisaged by the commitment was completed by mid-December 2016 and the website was visited around 1200 times. The Government informed the public about the website within the framework of its activities related to second commitment, viz., to ensure transparency in mining. For example, during the first session of the working group on Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) on 25 November 2016, the Government representatives informed about the launch of the website “The first meeting of the initiative group of multi transparency in extractive industries”, Gov.am, November 25, 2016, http://bit.ly/2rQbBqA. and communicated the same via TV news.
Presently, the website provides information on some mineral deposits. In several cases the reports are dated as far back as 1960s and 1970s. For example, the webpage presents 1965 report on the stock of pumice deposit at Jraber Republican Geological Fund, accessed June 11, 2017, http://bit.ly/2rQwZvG. See table enlisting ‘The natural Resources of Armenia’. ; orreports about research done in 1981-1983, 1966, 1958-1961, and in 1962 regarding copper deposits at Karnut Ibid. ; or geological research of gold and silver deposits at Tsarasar in 1979-1983 Ibid. . There are also reports of some research carried out in recent years. For example, the page on Tekhut copper- molybdenum deposit contains reports dated between 1991 and 2014.
At the time of writing this report (mid-January 2017) three pages related to (1) mining rights to extract minerals “Granted Rights”, Republican Geological Fund, accessed June 9, 2017, http://bit.ly/2t4epy5 , (2) rights to carry out geological research Ibid., http://bit.ly/2scC5Ei , and (3) rights to carry out research related to water resources Available at https://www.geo-fund.am/hyhttps://www.geo-fund.am/hy/Տրամադրված-իրավունքներ? filter=water#loads , did not provide information on rights and licenses already awarded.
Did it Open Government?
Access to Information: Marginal
Availability of digital information on geological data related to the exploitation of minerals has been limited in Armenia. Creation of the website, therefore, is a positive step towards increasing access to such information in digital format.
However, for the website to be more useful, currently uploaded data needs to be presented in a more user-friendly and machine-readable format. Representatives of Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center (TIAC) are of the view that simply availing scanned documents and maps in PDF or JPG formats will not constitute digitization. Nevertheless, it is expected that once fully functional, the website will become a useful source of information for researchers and CSOs working on environmental issues.
Carried Forward?
The commitment was not carried over to the third action plan.