TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Canada’s Centerra Gold on Friday said it would continue with the orderly shutdown of its flagship Kumtor mine, in Kyrgyzstan, as government was dealing with an illegal blockade by hundreds of protestors of the road leading to the mine.
The company said until the government had lifted the state of emergency and until calm had returned, with safe and secure access to the mine, it would continue with an orderly shutdown of the mine facilities.
Centerra said it had taken steps to ensure the safety and security of personnel, while grid power to the mine remained shut down and essential services were being maintained using back-up diesel power generators.
The orderly shutdown of the milling facility was continuing and the mill had been placed on standby with fluids circulating in order to ensure there is no damage from freezing, and mining operations remaining suspended other than operating equipment required to continue to manage the ice and waste in the high movement area of the pit.
“Until safe and secure access and grid power has been restored to the facility it will not be possible for the company to determine the extent of the impact on the operations, including gold production and financial results, Centerra said in a statement.
Centerra Gold contributed about 12% to Kyrgyzstan's gross domestic product in 2011.