Azerbaijan news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
AzerGold began drilling and blasting at the Soyudlu gold deposit in Kalbajar, on Armenia's border.
The mine is expected to employ about 700 people during 2026–2029 development.
Background
The Soyudlu (Zod) deposit lies in Kalbajar District, territory that came under Azerbaijani control after the 2020 war. Azerbaijani state-owned company AzerGold has been linked to corruption reports involving the family of President Ilham Aliyev, and the government restructured the development agreement in 2022 and designated AzerGold as its representative in June 2024. The start of mining is part of Azerbaijan's broader post-war push to develop resources in regained areas.
How it unfolded
- 2022The Azerbaijani government restructured the legal framework of the development agreement, adding the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources as a party.
- Jun 2024The state designated AzerGold as its representative under the agreement.
- Sep 9, 2026AzerGold launched drilling and blasting operations at the Soyudlu (Zod) gold deposit in Kalbajar District, on the border with Armenia.
Still unverified
The material mentions corruption reports involving AzerGold and President Aliyev's family but provides no specific details or confirmation; these remain allegations.