The Lensk Department of the Russian Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostekhnadzor) has issued a notice to suspend the excavation of a number of underground mine workings at the Udachny mine in Yakutia for 90 days.
The agency suspended work at the -490m level of the first and second ore drives of the eastern ore body, and of approach workings to the ventilation raise No. 8.
Among the identified problems is the absence of required air speed sensors in ventilation. In addition, automatic monitoring and control of air vents from the mine dispatcher console was not provided, which made it impossible to quickly control the ventilation of workings in a gas environment.
“Taking into account the identified violations that pose a threat to the safety and health, protocols on a temporary suspension of activities and an administrative offense were drawn up against the legal entity,” the department reported.
It was previously reported that on November 27, a methane outburst occurred at ALROSA's Udachny diamond mine, resulting in three casualties and two more people injured.
Theodor Lisovoy, Editor in Chief of the European bureau, Rough&Polished
