Collapsed Area at Maykainzoloto Site to Be Filled

At the Maykainzoloto site in Pavlodar Region, where four people died a year and a half ago, the company has announced plans to fill the massive collapsed area. The reclamation work is expected to take two years, Orda.kz reports.

The sinkhole, which formed last year and measures nearly 500,000 cubic meters, will be backfilled using overburden materials. The project has already been presented to the public as part of the required environmental impact assessment, which evaluates potential effects on the surrounding environment.

To carry out the work, Maykainzoloto will use rock from a nearby dump. Their own employees and equipment will be involved in the process:

To comply with safety regulations, the bulldozer moves the rock without reaching the edge of the crater with its blade. The work is considered complete once the rock mass reaches the designated line. Then, under its own weight, the material fills the funnel,the project description states. 

The reclamation is scheduled for 2025–2026.

The fatal accident occurred at the gold mine in January 2024. A bus carrying four rescuers fell into the massive pit. All of them died, and the body of the last victim was recovered only six months later.

Investigators concluded that the employer was fully responsible for the tragedy. The management of Maykainzoloto was held accountable.

Since then, ownership of the company has changed hands. The Altynalmas JSC has acquired 100% of Maykainzoloto’s shares.

Original Author: Alina Adilova