On July 21, Anglo Asian Mining Plc., a British company, announced the commencement of commissioning works at the Damirli copper mine, located in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh Economic Region. In its official statement, the company confirmed that commissioning is underway, with production expected to increase through the end of 2025. Anglo Asian Mining forecasted that the mine would produce approximately 4,000 tonnes of copper concentrate in 2025, with output projected to rise to around 15,000 tonnes annually from 2026 onward. The operational lifespan of the mine will be determined following the development of updated geological and mineral resource models.

Ore is presently extracted from a large open-pit and transported by truck to a processing plant, with electricity supplied through Azerbaijan’s national grid and water sourced from local supplies. "At present, water and flotation tailings are being temporarily discharged into an existing tailings storage facility. A full geotechnical survey has been completed for the location of a new tailings storage site, along with design work for a dam and pipeline route," the company stated. To support the ramp-up, the company has hired around 150 new permanent employees and redeployed 50 experienced staff from other sites. Anglo Asian Mining also emphasized the significant potential for further resource development at the deposit, noting plans to expand the current pit, explore nearby copper targets, and launch a regional exploration program in the near future.

The company has been extracting gold, copper, and silver in Azerbaijan since 2009 and constructed a tailings pond near the village of Söyüdlü in 2012. Residents have reported that this pond leaches cyanide and arsenic into local water sources, leading to health issues and crop damage. In June 2023, the company proposed building a second tailings pond, intensifying local opposition. A protest on June 20, 2023, was met with a heavy-handed response from Azerbaijani security forces, who used chemical irritants and detained several individuals. The village was subsequently placed under lockdown, and the Azerbaijani government temporarily suspended the mine's operations.