Russian miner & steelmaker Metalloinvest invests ₽ 52B in the construction of an environmentally efficient tailings pond at Lebedinsky GOK to reduce the specific consumption of electricity by 25%, reduce dust emissions by 10 times, as well as reduce the operating costs of pumping tailings and returning clarified water to the processing plant.

The reduction of specific energy consumption will occur due to the reconstruction of the thickening unit and the optimization of the water-sludge scheme. To reduce the operating costs for pumping tailings and returning water from 2026 will allow the reconstruction of eight 50m and three 100m thickeners. Anti-filtration screens will be installed along the bottom of the bowl and the base of the dams to prevent the ingress of process water into aquifers. The condition of hydraulic structures will be monitored by control and measuring equipment. Protective dams up to 30m high will be built, followed by an increase in tiers of 5m.

The plans for 2023 include the reconstruction of the thickening system and circulating water supply, the engineering preparation of the tailings dam bed and the construction of enclosing dams, the preparation of foundations for the main slurry pipelines. The construction of substations and a building for the preparation of reagents for water purification will begin. It is planned to put the first start-up complex of the tailings dam into operation in 2026. The new site will annually receive up to 20M cubic meters of tailings. Full commissioning is scheduled for the end of 2028.

After the commissioning of the new tailings dam, the existing tailings dam will be reclaimed.

The project is being implemented taking into account all environmental requirements, passed public hearings and received a positive conclusion of the State Environmental Expertise and the Main State Expertise.

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