Project no: 244242, call 2009, Theme 6, Topic ENV.2009.4.1.3.2
Indicators and Earth Observation Products for the Assessment of the Extractive Industry Environmental and Societal Impacts
Summary Report on the Trialogue
in Kyrgyzstan
Deliverable D5.6-KG
Dominic Wittmer,Ernis Kylychbaev
Trialogue Workshop
in the Kyrgyz Republic
Summary and Results
Deliverable D5.6-KG
October2013
Dominic Wittmer, Ernis Kylychbaev
With the collaboration of
Galina Cheban, Elaman Mambetaliyev, Alexey Dudashvili, Ulan Abdybachaev, Duška Rokavec
Checked by: / Approved by:
Name: Horst Hejny
Date:
Signature: / Name: Stephane Chevrel
Date:
Signature:
EO-MINERS D5.6-KG
“Trialogue Workshop in the Kyrgyz Republic: Summary and Results“
Due date of Deliverable / October 2013
Actual Submission Date / 12.02.2014
Start Date of Project / February 1st, 2010
Duration / 45 months
Deliverable Lead Contractor / WI
Revision / Version 1
Last Modifications / February 2014
Nature / Report
Dissemination level / Public
Public Summary enclosed / YES
Reference / Workpackage / DoW WP5
Digital File Name / D5.6_KG_V1.pdf
Keywords:
/ Mining stakeholders, stakeholder involvement, workshop, Makmal mine, Kazarman, trialogue, local trialogue, earth observation products
In bibliography, this report should be cited as follows: / Wittmer, D., Kylychbaev, E. (2013): Trialogue Workshop in the Kyrgyz Republic: Summary and Results. Earth Observation for Monitoring and Observing Environmental and Societal Impacts of Mineral Resources Exploration and Exploitation, CEC FP7 Project EO-MINERS, Deliverable D5.6-KG
Summary
The trialogue activities of EO-MINERS comprise a series of four specific stakeholders workshop with preparatory actions, three of them at the local demonstration sites in the Czech Republic, in South Africa, and Kyrgyzstan, and an EU workshop in Brussels. The local trialogue aims to contribute to balance information imbalances by providing options for retrieving appropriate information. The options offered by EO-MINERS comprise the project outputs, i.e. the various EO products. The term appropriate refers to the accuracy, regional coverage, and neutrality of the information (data) provided. By presenting EO products to the diverse stakeholders, the purposefulness of the data is checked, and options are scanned how to use EO products in the future.
The workshop presented site-specific results of EO-MINERS, explained the EO products developed and provided opportunities for feedback from a stakeholder point of view. A particular aim was to gather feedback from the stakeholders on their individual view on the workshop booklets that were prepared specifically for the workshops, including the appropriateness of the selection of indicators and supporting EO products, the perceived quality of the EO products, and the perceived applicability of the EO products. This report summarises the workshop activities in Kazarman, Kyrgyz Republic.At the Trialogue Workshop in Kyrgyzstan, the third of a series of three local trialogue workshops, the EO products proved to reflect well the concerns of stakeholders. Furthermore, the presentation of the EO products appeared rather mature, beside distinct suggestions for improvement.
The studies are estimated to have covered the areas of (potential) impact by the mining activities on the environment in the area of Kazarman.The Kyrgyz trialogue workshops triggered intense exchange on the topics addressed by the EO products that were developed within EO-MINERS. Namely the EO products on the water quality (cyanide) and on radioactivity received much attention by the diverse stakeholders. The studies on the radioactivity allowed declaring confidently the absence of radioactivity impacts caused by Kyrgyzaltyn mining activities.
Overall, the company Kyrgyzaltyn estimated that the project results influenced positively the relation between the local population, the local authorities, and the mining company. This is strongly related to the trust of the local population in laboratory studies made under survey of an EU project. A major weakness was the limited level of interpretation that was provided. The measurements fundamentally require proper interpretation frameworks that make clear what measurement values actually shall mean for the stakeholders. Moreover, health issues were of very high interest for several stakeholders, and should be integrated to a greater extent in future studies with a comparable objective. Finally, continuation activities related to EO-MINERS are described in detail.
Content
SummaryContent
1.Introduction
Setting of the Makmal Mine and Kazarman Area, Kyrgyzaltyn, and the
Environment
Current State of Dialogue between the Mine and the Stakeholders
2.Preparation of the Trialogue Workshops
Aim and Format of the Trialogue Workshops
Involvement of Local Partners
Arrangement of the Workshops
Procedure of Interaction
3.Indicators and Earth Observation Products
Overview on Local Indicators and Contextualisation for Mining Site
Referring to Information Needs by Individual Stakeholders
Overview of the EO Products for the Makmal Mine and Kazarman Area
4.Stakeholder Feedback on EO Products
General Feedback on the Approach of EO-MINERS during the Local Trialogue Workshop
Specific Statements from Stakeholders on Selected EO Products
General Impression/Statements
Specific Statements on EO Products
Feedback on Resolution of Measurement
Conclusions on the EO Product Specific Feedback
5.Conclusions
Feedback from Kyrgyzaltyn and Further Stakeholders on EO-MINERS
Activities including the Local Workshop
Lessons Learnt, and Generalisation
Potential for Follow-Up Activities by Local Partners Building on
EO-MINERS Outputs
6.Acknowledgements
7.References
8.Appendix......
8.1.A.1: Agenda of the Trialogue Workshops
A.2: List of Participants
1.Introduction
Setting of the Makmal Mine and Kazarman Area, Kyrgyzaltyn, and the Environment
Geography and Geology
Kyrgyzstan is a relatively small, mountainous country in north eastern Central Asia with a total area of about 198´500km2. The national territory extends approximately 900km from east to west and 410km from north to south. Kyrgyzstan is bordered on the southeast by China, on the north and west by Kazakhstan, and on the south and west by Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, respectively. The country is divided into seven administrative districts, called “oblasts”: Chui, Naryn, Yssyk-Kul, Jalal-Abad, Osh, Batken and Talas.
The Kyrgyz EO-MINERS test site, the Makmal gold mine and the related beneficiation plant, is located remotely in the Toguz-Toro region of the Jalal-Abad oblast of Kyrgyzstan, 630km from Bishkek city. The Toguz-Toro district is populated by 22,136 inhabitants (4´665 households) that live in five village zones and 13 settlements (Toguz-Toro District Department of Statistics). The nearest railway stations are: Balykchy (465km) and Djalal-Abad (170km). Highway service that connects Kazarman with the capital is carried out year round by the Bishkek-Kazarman road (645km).
The district area is 2,080km2, of which only a relative small share is used by agriculture (112km2 arable land, mainly used for wheat and maize, 6,9km2 non-arable land, 16km2 hayfields, and 1,945km2 pasture land (including mountainous areas). The main land use is for pastures (Toguz-Toro District Department of Statistics).There are ten rivers and three channels in the Toguz-Toro District. The Naryn River is a river of inter-state importance. Other rivers with length of 11 to 42km length are located in the Naryn River basin and flow into the Naryn River.
The Makmal mine thatprovides the gold ore is located at 2´350-2´800m above sea level, while the ore is processed at the “Makmalzolotoprocessing plant”downstream near Kazarman. The climate at Makmal/the Makmal mine is markedly continental with fluctuations of average minimum temperature in January of -40С and average maximum temperature in July of +42С. The precipitation differs throughout the mountainous area, with low levels of precipitation in the valleys average annual precipitation at the gold-extracting plant 320mm) and higher precipitation in the high mountains, where the snow cover commonly appears permanent from early December resting 130 to 140 days (depending on the altitude). This means a short summer season at the mine site of 70 days, only, and difficult climatic conditions for large periods of the year.
The area of Makmal deposit is characterized by significant ruggedness (compartmentalization) of the relief, deep ravines that have steep slopes of 500 with big excess of watersheds over thalwegs of streams. During snow melting and heavy rains, streams flow into the Makmal River that is a drain of ground water and the only watercourse (of the valley) with year-round surface drainage. Its average annual water flow reaches 250l/s, with a maximum of 2000l/s, and a minimum in winter of 23l/s. The catchment area of Makmal River is 43km2. In order to supply water to the administrative building of the mine, a ground water intake structure was constructed through which water goes to users by gravity.
The relevant surface watercourses belong to the Naryn river basin. They all are abundantrivers and typical mountain rivers with a significant downward slope. The Makmal stream flows 0.4km south west from the ore bodies; the Kichi-Makmal stream flows 1.3km west from the mine. Both streams merge and originate the Oikaian Riverthat flows into the Kyldau River, the right constituent of the Kugart River.
The Makmal deposit is located in the south west part of the Chaartash massif of granitoids and refers to the exocontact part represented by siliceous-carbonate deposits of Visean stage. The ores of the deposit belong to a low-sulfide type gold quartz formation. They consist of silicificated limestone, skarns and metasomatite, and to lesser extent of modified granite, granite porphyry and plagioporphyry. A long-term study of mineralogical composition of the Makmal deposit revealed more than 80 minerals. The main ore-forming minerals are: pyrite, pyrrhotine, gold, quartz, calcite, wollastonite, feldspar, and pyroxene.
The most watered rocks at the Makmal deposit are granites of the Chaartash intrusion into the massif, at which fractures occur commonly in the massif. In contrast, carbonate rocks are less watered: The total natural outflow of groundwater is 4l/s. The groundwater flow in the deposit area relates to the fracture type, refers to zones of tectonic disturbances. Therefore, groundwater flow varies locally. The rocks of the Makmal deposit are lowly watered. It is accompanied by intensive ruggedness (compartmentalisation) of the relief, low groundwater levels of the ore-bearing rocks, and the location of all horizons of the deposit abovethe water´s edge of the Makmal stream. The water inflow into the circuit of the mine does not exceed 10l/sec. With regard to their chemical composition,the groundwater belongs to hydrocarbonate-sulfate, hydrocarbonate-chloride, sodium and sodium-calcium types. The solid residue is 0.23-0.33g/l. The (general) water hardness is up to 2mg-eq/l, the carbonate hardness is up to 1.8mg-eq/l.
The Makmal Mine
The Makmal mine is run from its beginning by Kyrgyzaltyn, a company that is wholly state-owned and belongs to the Kyrgyz Government.The mine is a main production branch of Kyrgyzaltyn. The Makmal deposit shows three phases of exploitation: a first phase of open cast mining, a second phase where previously stockpiled low-grade ores were processed, and a third phase with underground mining.
The open cast mining lasted from 1986 to1996. The technical capacity of the mine and mill processing was 500,000t of ore per year. Within this period, a total of 21.7t gold were produced; processing of previously stockpiled low-grade ore commenced in 1997 in pursuance of the Kyrgyz Governmental Decree On the extension of the Makmal Gold Enterprise operational period (#722, from 10.12.1997). The open pit mining finally terminated in 2003.Underground mining was started in 2003and continues until today (anticipated mine closure in 2016).
Despite the opencast mining during the first phase of extraction, recultivation (reclamation) has not been arranged yet due to the on-going underground mining activities as the exploited underground galleries are linked directly with the mine. Currently, a plan for the reclamation of the first line of the mine has been developed for the area of 26.4ha, i.e. the area allocated for ore store and roads unused at present. The plan is under examination by the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Kyrgyz Republic. Reserves of main ore bodies were exploited in open cast until horizon of 2´530m, in some places up to 2´522.5m. It was exploited till 2001. Since 2001, underground mining was started below the horizon of 2´500m. At the gold-extracting plant near Kazarman about 30km downstream, the gold ore of the Makmal gold mine is processed to gold concentrate; however, the gold concentrate is not refined on-site.
In order to extend the life-time of the mine, a decision was taken to develop the remaining reserves of the Makmal deposit through to a level below 2´500m. KyrgyzaltynJSC[1] plans to invest US$4.0 million from its operating capital into the rebuilding and modernisation of the production facilities, and an additional US$3.5 million for the exploration of deep levels of the mine and flanks of the ‚Vostochnaya’ and “Dioritovaya” zones of the deposit. Subject to the proof of geological reserves at the lower levels and the flanks of the existing mine,the reserves are project at 13t, linked to an extension of the mine’s lifetime until 2016.
Environment
The wastes of the mine are industrial and domestic wastes. The solid domestic wastes include, paper, glass, plastic, wastes from the canteen etc. More than 80t per year are transported to the village waste dump.
The industrial wastes comprise neutralised tailing pulp and wood wastes, incompletely burned lime, ash from boiler room, metal casks and shavings. The solid fraction of neutralised tailing pulp is generated after ore processing and delivered to the tailing in the form of pulp. The solid part of the pulp is in the form of reduced ore of the 0,074mm class. Tailing sediments contain the following metals: manganese, lead, zinc, others and gold leavings. Within the period of exploitation, more than 7 millionm3 of tailings were accumulated together with cyanide pulp in the tailing pit. Aftertheir neutralisation with chlorine, the cyanides are exposed to natural decomposition in the tailing pit. A part of the cyanides precipitates in the form of insoluble salts; another part is resolved into gas constituents and evaporates into the atmosphere. The annual cyanide flow into the tailing pit is about 2t. The industrial wastes are transported to the industrial waste dump. The amount is more than 200t per year, plus about 70t of ash from the boiler plant.
The tailing pit was built on the basis of technical plans prepared by the USSR scientific research and design institute “VNIIPROZOLOTO” and put into operation in 1986. The technical plan stipulated that storage capacity is created building up of a levee at the required height. The slope of downstream face was accepted equal to 1:3.0, and upstream face 1:3.5. The width of the tailing pit (top of the dam) is 10m andits length is 370m.
In 1999, in the face of decreasing tailing capacity, further civil works were undertaken to extend the capacity. The corresponding construction plan that was developed by the research institute “Kazmehanobr” refused the filling type and proposed a “mixed scheme” of extension. This plan that was developed for the construction of each levee went through technical and environmental assessment. According to this plan, the tailings were deposited by several levees on the dried shore, in total a number of six levees, each 3m high and 6m wide.
Since the tailing pit was designed for the storage of cyanide-bearing residual flows, several construction measures were applied for preventing the leakage of polluted waste water. Filing of loam membrane was provided for in the body of levee. In order to prevent the infiltration into the base of the tailings pond, a polyethylene film was installed. For the retention of flood and mudflow streams impending to enter the tailing pit, a diverting dam and a diversion channel on the west side were constructed.
For environmental protection and the prevention of contamination of surface and ground waters with leakage water from the tailing, two drainage channels were installed diverting drainage waters to the already existing drainage pumping station. In order to reduce water consumption at the processing plant of “Makmalgold”, a recycling system for water supply was constructed that returns the 2.5 million m3 of settled and partially neutralised residual water from the tailing pit into the technological process.
According to an agreement with KyrgyzaltynJSC, the Chui Ecological Laboratory conducts semi-annually monitoring of environmental impactsrelated to activities of “Makmalgold”. The analytical results are submitted to Kyrgyzaltynby reports.
A verification of observation of established standards for maximum permissible wastewater discharges into the environment was made. Water samples were taken at the outlet of water treatment facilities at the Makmal mine, of water treatment facilities at the gold extracting plant, and of water treatment facilities in the Kazarman village. The results prove that the requirements concerning established standards for the maximum permissible wastewater discharges are met beside the following exceptions, i.e. an excess of suspended matter at the mine, excess of ammonium nitrogen at the gold extracting plant, and ammonium nitrogen, sulphate, pH at the treatment facilities in the village.
According to the report for the first half-year of 2010, measurements were undertaken in order to allow due diligence on the established standards for maximum permissible pollutant discharges in the air and on the inventory of sources of harmful chemical substances. The inventory covered 81 sources of air pollutants. Out of these 81 sources, 38 ones were checked by tool measurements, including 26 ventilating devices and 12 technological sites without vents. The amount of pollutant discharges practically has not changed for several years.
Further, water and soilsnear the tailing pond/pit and the dump of industrial waste were examined. The results indicate the compliance of surface water flowing out belowthe tailing pit. It was noted that there is some excess of salts in the spring water; however, the salt contents were in the common limits for spring water in the area. Measurements of soil at the tailrace of the tailing pond did not show pollution related to increased values for metal concentrations with regard to metals commonly found in tailing pulp.