Solidcore Resources enterprises have reduced the amount of freshwater consumption by 80% in five years

To conserve water resources, Solidcore Resources Group enterprises are actively implementing wastewater collection and reuse technology to conserve water resources in production processes. Since 2019, the Company has reduced freshwater use in technological processes by 80%.

"The efficient use of water in Kazakhstan is becoming one of the priorities for the government, business, and residents. At Solidcore, we pay special attention to this issue, employing cutting-edge solutions of modern technologies to minimize the impact on water resources. We strive to reduce the consumption of fresh natural water by increasing the share of reuse where it is possible, and we actively use wastewater for technological purposes," stated Kanat Dosmukametov, Chief Operating Officer of Solidcore Resources.

The water reuse system covers numerous critical issues. Thus, mechanical settling pre-clarifies the water in the open pit, which is then used in technological operations such as ore processing and fire protection. Some of this water is utilized to control dust in mining. This significantly reduces the amount of fresh natural water consumed. Depending on the amount of precipitation, the water used at the enterprises is returned to circulation, which significantly reduces the consumption of natural water and has a positive effect on the ecosystems of local reservoirs.

Between 2019 and 2024, the total annual volume of water usage at the Bakyrchik Mining Venture, Varvarinskoye JSC, Komarovskoye Mining Company was reduced by 53% from 225 thousand m3 to 107 thousand m3. At the same time, the share of wastewater use in the total volume of water consumption is 89%. Such water is used for dust suppression, which makes it possible to completely eliminate the consumption of fresh natural water for the technological needs of the enterprise in the amount of almost 95 thousand m3/year.

During the period from 2019 to 2024, JSC Varvarinskoye managed to lower the annual volume of freshwater intake by 32% from almost 1.5 million m3 to 1 million m3, and the consumption of fresh water for technological needs in 2024 decreased by more than 90% (to 106 thousand m3). This was achieved mainly due to an increase in the share of wastewater use in the technological process of the gold extraction and processing plant from 1.9 million m3 in 2019 to 2.2 million m3 in 2024, as well as an increase in the volume of recycled water supply from 2.7 million m3 in 2019 to 3.8 million m3 in 2024. Over the past five years, the share of wastewater and recycled water consumption in relation to total water consumption has increased from 76% to 98%, which significantly reduces the intake of natural fresh water.

From 2019 to 2024, the Bakyrchik Mining Venture, Varvarinskoye JSC, Komarovskoye Mining Company to cut the volume of freshwater consumption for technical demands by about 47%, from 401,000 m3 to 213,000 m3, owing primarily to an increase in the percentage of wastewater used in the processing plant's technological process. From 2019 to 2024, wastewater consumption grew from 65 thousand m3 to around 904 thousand m3, or nearly 14 times. During the same time period, the volume of circulating water supply grew by 43%, from 3.5 million m3 to 5.1 million m3. In general, from 2019 to 2024, the proportion of wastewater and recycled water use to total water consumption increased from 61% to 95%.

In general, for all Solidcore Resources enterprises, from 2019 to 2024, the share of wastewater and recycled water consumption in relation to total water consumption increased from 81% to 96%.