19.07.2019

On 18 July this year, Marat Murataliev, an authorized representative of the Kyrgyz Government, Zamir Sydykov, Akim of Talas District, Kubanychbek Kanybekov, Head of Bekmoldo aiyl okmotu, Abaz Ibraimov, Speaker of Bekmoldo aiyl kenesh, deputies Bakyt Alybaev, Bolotkan Asranov, Elmira Beshkempirova, Ularbek Borkeyev, Muratbek Zhekshenov, Zhanbolot Junushov, Nurkaly Koshchaliev, Ulan Kurmanaliev, Shumkarbek Kuttubaev, Kubatkeldi Orozaliev, Amantur Otorbaev, Zamirbek Sataev, Toichubek Chynaliev visited the Jeruy production site, as well as Talas journalists. They inspected the construction of the tailings storage facility, where a geomembrane (isolation substrate) is currently being laid, and toured the main building of the gold recovery plant, which is under construction.

Marat Murataliyev pointed out that compliance with high environmental standards should be, and in fact is, a priority during the construction of the Talas gold mine. He noted the necessity of close working cooperation between representatives of state and local authorities, people's elected representatives and the subsoil user company, in order to resolve all issues of vital importance for the local population. Jeruy should work for the development of Bekmoldo, Talas and all of Kyrgyzstan. The governor also urged the media to closely monitor and provide unbiased coverage of Jeruy.

Talas activists expressed the need to keep the public informed of the mine's operations and their impact on the environment: We are concerned about the environmental aspect of the Jeruy project. In order to dispel the public's anxiety arising out of rumours, meetings and awareness-raising events at the field should be held as often as possible," they said.

Mikhail Shubin, CEO of Alliance Altyn LLC, assured that the company is open to cooperation and will certainly fulfill its obligations. Mining operations at the Jeruy deposit will start in October this year.

Alliance Altyn specialists answered questions from deputies and the media. In particular, they explained that the safety of the tailings storage facility is ensured by the high degree of reagent decontamination in the tailings, dehydration and semi-dry dumping, the presence of geomembrane in the tailings waterproofing screen, as well as the Aylampa Tract's topography itself, which together prevent waste from entering the soil and minimize tailings dusting.

Aizada Mambetkul kizi, chief engineer of the general contractor AAEngineering Group LLP, informed the meeting participants that high quality materials are used in the construction of the tailings storage facility: A special feature of the Jeruy tailings dump is the fact that it will be a semi-dry storage facility. There will be 4 layers of ground protection. A 20 cm thick leveling layer of sand is placed on the compacted base soil of the tailings dump, then the eco-friendly geotextile of Russian production is laid, a 2 mm thick Austrian-made geomembrane goes on top, and then there's another layer of geotextile. All this is carefully compacted with a 50 centimeter thick protective layer of clastic soil. This technology will ensure the safety of the entire tailings management facility, preventing residual water from being drained into the underground layers and thereby causing pollution," said A. Mambetkul kyzy.