Mining Operations at Bolashak Mine Resume Months after Incidents

Mining operations have resumed at the Bolashak mine of the Donskoy GOK, where two fires had previously occurred, one of them fatal, reports Orda.kz.

According to ERG Corporation, two vertical shafts, each 860 meters deep, are being drilled to improve ventilation at the mine. Several additional downward boreholes are also being drilled underground to release flammable gas.

A ventilation improvement plan for Bolashak and a strategy to reduce hydrogen concentration were developed by scientists from Kazakhstan, Russia, and Türkiye. Two organizations were brought in to provide scientific and technical support for the clearing operations.

These measures aim to lower the risk of future fires at the site. Employees working at the mine have been issued upgraded protective gear.

The necessary permits from state regulatory authorities overseeing industrial safety compliance for the resumption of operations have been obtained,
ERG emphasized.

The Bolashak mine of Donskoy GOK extracts chromite ore. It is owned by Kazchrome, which is part of the ERG corporation.

This year, two fires have already occurred at Bolashak.

In February, four workers were burned during a fire in the mine, and one later died from his injuries. Another fire broke out at the end of May, injuring three electrical fitters. Both incidents were caused by hydrogen emissions.

After the second incident, the Ministry of Emergency Situations ordered a temporary suspension of all operations at the Bolashak mine.

Original Author: Nikita Drobny