EcoLur
The public discussions of the initial EIA of 'Works Aimed To Increase Safety and Reliability of Geghanush Tailing Dump' by 'Kapan ODC' CJSC will be held at Kapan Municipality at 15:00 on 14 December.
According to the project, the factual state of Geghanush Tailing Dump owned by 'Kapan ODC' CJSC doesn't comply with the working project and safety requirements.
Particularly, the findings of the estimates on the sustainability of the factual state of the Northern dam show that the sustainability of the Northern dam is not ensured in case of the maximum quake – 8.5 magnitudes.
Under the current project, the filling mark of the tailing dump is 850 meters, the height of the dam is 90-95 m, the volume of the tailing dump is 11 million cum and the surface is 45 ha. The dams of the tailing dump were initially planned to be formed from the residue of the tails and the barren rocks mined from Shahumyan mine. As of August 2018, the maximum height of the Northern dam is around 60 m, the apex mark is 821 meters, while the apex mark of the Northern dam is 819.5 meters.
'In case of a seismic impact exceeding 8.5 magnitudes, a collapse of the dame and leak of sludge in the lower pool of the dam, which can flood the areas located below the dam, including industrial and other buildings, communication and other infrastructures.
The section of the road in Geghanush residential area running over the dam will be destroyed together with the dam. The leaked tails will also flood a part of M17 road. Then, the mass of tails can flow into the riverbed of the Voghji River and create a risk of flooding M2 interstate highway, which is particularly dangerous in an after-quake situation, as it will hinder operative response and elimination of the consequences of a disaster,' the project says.
According to the project designers, the main hydrotechnical structures needed to increase the reliability and safety of the tailing dump, to update out-of-date and exhausted infrastructures, including pumps and pipelines.
It should be mentioned that in October 2018 'Chaarat Gold Holdings Limited' Company purchased 'Kapan ODC' CJSC for US $ 55 million from 'Polymetal' Group which had purchased it in April 2016 from Canadian 'Dundee Precious Metals' Company for US $ 25 million.
December 12, 2018 at 19:01