Razrez Arshanovsky has announced the opening of its new coal mine in the Khakassia Republic of southern Siberia, Russia.
Arshanovsky mine was previously is said to have faced opposition over pollution fears, threats to water and fish supplies and transport disruption. The mine is now expected to have a production capacity of ten million tonnes of coal a year, once it is completely operational.
Khakassia Republic chairman Viktor Zimin told Siberian Times: “It will have a direct impact on the opening of new industries, the creation of new jobs and increasing welfare.”
“The site has been designed with consideration of environmental impacts and that new technology will be used to extract coal and treat waste.”
Local residents have been assured by Razrez Arshanovsky and other environmentalists that the site has been designed with consideration of environmental impacts and that new technology will be used to extract coal and treat waste.
Razrez Arshanovsky has also constructed a plant to treat the water from the site and states that there is no threat to water supplies.
With a total of two billion tonnes of coal set to be extracted, the open cast Arshanovsky mine is expected to be operational for more than 150 years.
To serve as a loading station for the coal, the company may construct an industrial campus and railway line.