The Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine ( hy, Զանգեզուրի պղնձամոլիբդենային կոմբինատ), commonly known as ZCMC, is a mining industry enterprise in
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ' ...
, based in the town of
Kapan.
History
The first geological excavations of
Kajaran Mine in the
Syunik Province
Syunik ( hy, Սյունիք, ) is the southernmost province of Armenia. It is bordered by the Vayots Dzor Province to the north, Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic exclave to the west, Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran to the south. It ...
took place in 1935. The construction of copper and molybdenum mine began in 1940, but was interrupted because of the World War II until 1944. The mine first started production in 1945, and has continued production to the present day.
After the independence of Armenia from the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
in the year 1991 the deep economic crisis seized also the
Zangezur
Zangezur ( hy, Զանգեզուր) is a historical and geographical region in Eastern Armenia on the slopes of the Zangezur Mountains which largely corresponds to the Syunik Province of the Republic of Armenia. It was ceded to Russia by Qajar I ...
copper and molybdenum collective combined. It stood still until 1994.
In 2004 the combine was privatized and currently the owners are: the CRONIMET Mining GmbH (60% of shares), “The Plant of Pure Iron” OJSC (15% of shares), Armenian Molybdenum Production Ltd. (12.5%) and Zangezur Mining Ltd (12.5%).
ZCMC are the owners and the shirt sponsors of
FC Gandzasar Kapan, a professional
football club from the town of
Kapan, Armenia.
References
{{reflist
External links
Official website
Companies of Armenia
Mining companies of the Soviet Union
Mining in Armenia