London-listed Anglo Asian Mining has suspended the operation of its flotation plant, in Gedabek, Azerbaijan, pending the outcomes of an environmental and safety report on its tailings dams.

A team of consultants from Micon International visited the tailings dams in Gedabek last week to carry out a full environmental inspection of the facilities on behalf of the local government.

Micon was supported by local Azeri company Iqlim Environment Analytical, which has taken environmental samples, comprising soil, as well as surface and underground water and air, at Gedabek.

Preliminary sampling results showed the level of cyanide in the existing tailings dam was below the legal limit required by the government.

As a precautionary measure, the company suspended the operation of its flotation plant on Monday, in accordance with a draft protocol with the government and has also stopped mining.

It is expected that Micon will deliver a full report on the findings by September 8.

Anglo Asian Mining engaged Mine Environmental Management (MEM) to be present at the Micon inspection and ensure that it was carried out to industry standards.

Micon and MEM, together with Anglo Asian Mining’s tailing dam consulting engineers Knight Piésold, as well as representatives of the government, also visited the tailings facility near the village of Soyudlu. This included an inspection of the existing tailings dam and the site of the proposed new dam.

The operation of the flotation plant will remain suspended until all environmental and safety deficits, if any are identified in the Micon report, have been rectified.

Anglo Asian says its heap leach operation is continuing as normal, except no new ore is being placed on the heaps.

Exploration is also continuing as normal.

The company will be carrying out essential plant maintenance during the suspension of operation of the flotation plant.

The suspension of the flotation plant will result in reduced production of about 400 t of copper and 300 oz of gold in August. The heap leaching operation is still expected to produce about 1 000 oz of gold doré in August.