Kazakhstan Mining Giant Kazzinc Fined After Toxic Dust Release From Plant Explosion

In Oskemen, 2.8 tons of zinc dust were released into the atmosphere after an accident at Kazzinc LLP. Following an inspection, environmental officials fined the company 60 million tenge, Orda.kz reports.

The emergency at the enterprise occurred on the morning of May 5. Residents were frightened by the sound of an explosion from the city’s industrial zone. Soon after, they saw a mushroom-shaped cloud of dust rising over Oskemen.

Officials later described the incident as follows: during maintenance work on a metallurgical furnace at the zinc plant, a smoke exhauster and pipeline caused a burst of metallurgical dust, destroying part of the building and the roof.

Two people died at the scene, and five others were taken to hospital. The death toll later rose: on May 12, a worker who had suffered burns to 90% of his body died in hospital.

Environmental specialists went to the site for measurements on the day of the accident, but initially reported no excess pollution levels and said there was no cause for concern.

School classes were not cancelled, as sometimes happens in Oskemen during long periods of adverse weather conditions. Residents were not asked to close their windows. Children in kindergartens were taken outside for walks, and school physical education classes were held outdoors.

However, many residents decided on their own not to send their children to school. Some even left the city for several days after it was covered in smog following the accident.

During the emergency, the dust-cleaning system was checked. There was an emission of 2.8 tons of zinc dust. A protocol was drawn up for this violation, and the fine amounted to 60 million tenge,said Asset Suleimenov, deputy head of the Department of Ecology for East Kazakhstan Region, during the briefing.

However, a few hours later, the briefing disappeared from YouTube. It had been broadcast live and published on the account of the Regional Communications Service of East Kazakhstan Region, while other broadcasts remained available. News reports about the major emission also began disappearing from regional websites.

Orda.kz is preparing an official request to the akimat of East Kazakhstan Region to find out what may have happened.

According to the Department of Ecology, 42 environmental violations have been identified in East Kazakhstan Region since the beginning of the year. In the first half of 2026, the department conducted 27 inspections, most of them unscheduled.

As a result, inspectors found violations of environmental legislation. They issued 21 orders requiring companies to eliminate shortcomings. In addition, 43 administrative fines were imposed for a total of 207.1 million tenge.

So far, 203.7 million tenge has been collected. The remaining materials are still being processed under the procedure established by law.

In Oskemen, 40 days of adverse meteorological conditions were recorded in the first six months of 2026.

Original author: Elena Medvedeva

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