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Khiagda, JSC - Preparations for Developing Kolichikan and Dybryn Deposits at Khiagda Ore Field
Engineering and geological surveys for the construction of mining facilities have been started on the Kolichikan and Dybryn deposits. “This is the fourth and fifth in turn development of the Khiagda ore field with a good quality of reserves, which is confirmed by the conducted geological exploration works. It is very important that mining and hydrogeological conditions of this group of deposits make it possible to extract uranium using in-situ leaching technology, with almost no harm to the environment,” said Director General of Khiagda, JSC Andrey Gladyshev.
At present, Khiagda, JSC performs the development of the Khiagda and Istochny deposits, construction and mining-preparatory works at Vershinny deposit. After the involvement of Kolichikan and Dybryn deposits, the progressive development of Tetrakh, Namaru and Koretkonda deposits will begin.
Simultaneously with the survey, the enterprise proceeds to design and prepares for drilling of wells, construction of roads, power transmission lines, processing facilities and infrastructure. According to the preliminary plans, the product solutions from Kolichikan deposit will be transported through the pipelines to the local sorption unit (LSU), already built on the site of the nearby Istochny deposit. Therefore, one LSU will process the solutions from two deposits, which will significantly reduce costs and increase the efficiency of the development. The impregnated sorbent agent from the LSU will be transported to the main production building for uranium extraction.
In designing and development of the deposits, Khiagda, JSC together with RUSBURMASH, JSC (service company of the ARMZ Uranium Holding Co. for geological exploration and drilling operations), VNIPIpromtechnologii, JSC (Engineering Center of the ARMZ Uranium Holding Co.) and the Seversk Technological Institute of the NRNU MEPhI implements “Ready polygon” and “Smart mine” projects. This will allow to minimize the period of construction and preparation of mining fields for operation. At the stage of mining operations in on-line mode, a wide range of digital geological, geophysical and geotechnological data will be automatically collected and processed. The data will allow determining the optimal modes of the development of operating blocks in order to ensure the maximum economic efficiency of the enterprise.
The start of mining at the new deposits of the Khiagda ore field is planned for 2020 and is designed for several decades ahead.