In the Almaty region, residents of six villages are asking the authorities to stop the company Block One Company, which is trying to reopen the Chinasyl-Sai mine, closed in the last century.
According to Informburo.kz, they believe that the work of the gold miners could lead to the pollution of the river, which provides water for 50,000 residents.
“In the Zhambyl district, everyone drinks water from the Kastek River. Everyone knows what harmful substances are used for processing. We don’t need that,” said Beisenbek Smagulov, a resident of the village.
Block One Company assured that it has a licence for mineral exploration and was ready to proceed, but according to them, the villagers, led by the akim of the Talap rural district, blocked the road to the deposit.
“The akim has no right or grounds to hinder legal entities or individuals fulfilling their obligations to the state. The limited liability partnership has the full right to carry out subsoil use operations. Moreover, the subsoil user is obliged by its licence obligations to the state to conduct geological exploration work. These are a standard and safe procedure, the purpose of which is to research and assess mineral reserves. These works are not related to extraction and have minimal impact on the environment,” the company’s statement reads.
In turn, the regional akimat reported that the head of the rural district was present to prevent a conflict between residents and company representatives.
Recall that in August, residents of the Turkestan region demanded that 900 hectares of land that had subsided due to a mine be declared a state of emergency zone. They believe the land is now dangerous for people and livestock. It is reported that lead and zinc were once mined on the specified territory. Today, the disused mine is filled with water.
In August of last year, it was reported that in the village of Maraldy, local residents actively protested against the construction of a factory and the exploitation of a gold ore quarry.
Despite the obvious prospects for the population, the villagers were categorically opposed to new industrial facilities appearing in their settlement. At the time, the FBRK editorial team suggested that people might have been manipulated by those pursuing personal interests.
In publications about the events in Maraldy, we allowed that the residents of the settlement had been turned against the upcoming construction. Even at the first hearings, there were instances of incitement of the population by some so-called capital activists, and one speaker at the hearings even demanded that each person be given 20 million tenge for the construction. We published a detailed analysis of who is calling on villagers to mass unrest in Maraldy.
Later, the gold mining company “VSAM Production”, engaged in exploration in the village of Maraldy in the Kurchum district of the East Kazakhstan Region, reported an attack on its employees by villagers.
It was reported that the situation at the site had become critical. About 100-150 people broke through the security post, beat the guards, pelted equipment with stones, and smashed windows.
Later, the village residents and employees of the gold mining factory reconciled in a court hearing.