(IDEX Online) - ALROSA will spend RUB 5.5 billion ($87 million) on environmental programs this year, an increase from RUB 4.4 billion ($70 million) last year which enables the miner "to significantly increase monitoring over the state of the environment".
In particular, last year ALROSA implemented two projects of significance: the restoration of sewage treatment facilities in Udachny where it has one of its mines. This project is of strategic importance for the fishery region where local rivers require special protection, the firm explained. Restoration of sewage treatment facilities in Udachny allowed additional cleaning of sewage waters from organic pollution to comply with the threshold level values of fisheries water reservoirs.
The second project is the construction of the center for pumping quarry and drainage waters from Internatsional underground mine to the western fissure. In order to exclude penetration of mineralized water to the landscape and surface water objects a return pumping complex and a pressure wells network have been constructed. Underground waters from Metegero-Ichersky underground reservoir come back without harming the environment.
As part of Environment Year, the firm also put an emphasis on combating poaching, including installation of access barriers, organization of round-the-clock posts on roads and the participation of the company's employees in raids for resisting illegal hunting or fishing, in order to preserve the region's biodiversity.
In 2017, the company also significantly expanded its monitoring program, with the company's ecologists taking about 1,500 samples of water, air, soil and bed deposits. This helps ALROSA to become more transparent, to determine with more precision the degree of the industry's impact on the environment and adjust its environmental policy.
"Protection of the environment is one of the most important areas of ALROSA's work," said Polina Anisimova, Head of ALROSA's Environmental Centre. "The company's task in this area consists not only in minimizing any impact on the nature but in helping to resolve the existing problems in the region of its presence. Simultaneously with nature protection actions, ALROSA implements a whole range of projects that will have a long-time effect. For example, it is gradually transferring its machinery to gas fuel which is more environment friendly, and introducing energy saving technologies. Our aim is to preserve the nature and beauty of Yakutia for many years. The company's efforts in this area have been already lauded by independent organizations, but we shall proceed with development and improvement of this work. In particular, in 2018 financing for environmental activities will increase up to RUB 5.3 billion," said