Mining operations

Projects of surveying works, mining allotment projects and other.

To ensure compliance with the established requirements for surveying and geodesic works, compliance with license requirements and conditions, as well as to improve the quality of works of the enterprise's survey service a project of surveying works is prepared.

The procedure for developing the project is reflected in subparagraph «e» of paragraph 5 of the Regulation № 257 dated 28.03.2012 on licensing of surveying works, approved by the Government of the Russian Federation, on the basis of the Instruction on surveying works, approved by Resolution № 73 dated 06.06.2003 by the State Committee for Supervision of Safe Working Practices in Industry and for Mine Supervision of Russia.

All organizations involved in the design, construction, operation, maintenance and liquidation of mining and processing facilities, as well as subsoil use facilities for purposes not related to the extraction of mineral resources must have a project of survey works approved by the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision of Russia.

Our organization supports the project of survey works in the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision and provides finished basic documents for survey and geodetic works, development of local projects and annual planning materials for mining operations after approval.

A mining allotment is a contoured block of subsoil which is provided to a subsoil user for performance of works related to extraction of mineral reserves.

Preliminary boundaries of the mining allotment are established when granting the license for subsoil use. After the development of the technical project and its approval in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment the project of refined boundaries of the mining allotment is developed, the data from which are included in the license as an integral part.

On the basis of the mining allotment project submitted by the subsoil user, a mining allotment statement is issued.

The subsoil user who received the license is allowed to extract minerals on the site within the boundaries of the mining allotment in accordance with the granted license.

Economic feasibility study of investments for banks, investors and subsoil users.

An important and fundamental document at the initial stage of the project, which serves as a justification of investments for banks, investors and subsoil users. The feasibility study is a part of the package of documents provided by the design organization to the potential Customer and it substantiates the benefits and advantages of the project proposed for implementation.

ОThe main objective of the feasibility study is to determine the technical feasibility and economic viability of the development and to obtain a single technically sound and the most economical development plan for the next 15-20 years, which is interconnected in all parts.

At this stage of design, the following aspects are considered:

• perspective demand for products;
• technical capabilities of the deposit, selection of development sequence;
• volumes and rates of production development to meet future demand;
• additional volumes of infrastructure, necessary development of transport, power supply, water supply and sewerage networks, housing construction, repair base are determined;
• capital investments - full cost of the open pit, the number of employees, operating costs and production costs of marketable products are determined
• пpreliminary general layout

Reclamation of disturbed lands, draft sanitary protection zone, environmental impact assessment, waste generation standards and waste disposal limits and other.

Draft project for reclamation of disturbed lands

The object of reclamation can be any part of the territory of an enterprise disturbed by economic activities. Approval: state expert review, industrial safety expert review; environmental expert review.

Draft sanitary protection zone

The presence of a sanitary protection zone applies to «placement, design, construction and operation of newly built, reconstructed industrial and production facilities, facilities for transport, communications, agriculture, energy, pilot plants, municipal facilities, sports, trade, public catering and other facilities, which are sources of impact on human habitat and health».

The procedure for developing, reviewing and approving draft sanitary protection zones is established by the sanitary regulations

SanPiN 2.2.1/2.1.1.1200-03 «Sanitary Protection Zones and Sanitary Classification of Enterprises, Structures and Other Facilities».

The expert review of the draft sanitary protection zone is carried out at the territorial Center of Hygiene and Epidemiology. Based on the expert review outcomes, the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare issues a sanitary and epidemiological conclusion.

Environmental Impact Assessment

The environmental impact assessment is an important stage in the implementation of nature protection in the legal field and one of the administrative measures of rational use of natural resources and environmental protection.

Environmental impact assessment is «a mandatory measure for planned economic or other activities that can have a direct or indirect impact on the environment, regardless of the forms of ownership and departmental affiliation of the subjects of these activities».

It is developed at the stage of preparation of supporting documentation, often before the start of design works in accordance with the Regulation on the Environmental Impact Assessment.

Waste generation standards and waste disposal limits

The enterprises producing wastes in the production process must develop a document regulating their generation - waste generation standards and waste disposal limits.

The purpose of developing the waste generation standards and waste disposal limits is to approve waste disposal limits and obtain a permit for waste disposal in accordance with the requirements of the «Temporary Rules of Environmental Protection from Production and Consumption Waste in the Russian Federation» of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation dated 1994. The draft is developed according to «Methodical instructions on elaboration of draft norms of generation of wastes and limits for their disposal» Moscow, Approved by the Order of Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision of Russia № 703 dated 19.10.2007.

The draft is approved by the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources. Territorial bodies of the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources, in accordance with the maximum permissible emissions standards, establish limits for waste disposal for a period of 5 years (subject to annual confirmation) on the basis of the draft.

Projects of geological exploration, feasibility studies of permanent and temporary conditions, development of geological reports with the calculation of reserves and their subsequent approval.

Geological exploration projects

To commence geological exploration works it is required to have design and estimate documentation for them. The geological exploration project is a technical document that establishes how to implement the geological assignment, use modern methods, means and technologies of work with the minimum material and labor costs.

The geological assignment issued by the customer of the work and agreed with the Federal Agency for Subsoil Use is the basis for the geological exploration project.

The development of the geological exploration project is carried out in accordance with the «Instruction on drawing up projects and estimates for geological exploration works».

Feasibility study of conditions

Feasibility study of conditions is developed in accordance with the regulations establishing the rules of geological and economic evaluation of deposits, calculation and accounting of reserves, design of mining enterprises.

The main task of the feasibility study is to develop recommendations on the most appropriate methods and systems of the deposit development, determination of the technical limits of mining, production capacity, commercial reserves, mining sequence, amount of losses and dilution, as well as development of the most optimal option for parameters of mining conditions, confirmed by technical and economic calculations.

Geological report

The main document reflecting the results of geological exploration works is the geological report. The report must comply with the current standards and requirements of the Russian Geological Fund.

The geological report is one of the main documents for the development of design documentation for a mining enterprise.

One copy of the developed geological report is transferred after approval to the Russian Geological Fund for permanent storage in accordance with the current regulations.

Conservation and liquidation of unprofitable enterprises.

Under current market conditions and changes in the market conditions for the sale of mineral reserves, as well as upon condition of complete mining of the deposit reserves, design documentation is developed for the liquidation or conservation of mine workings of enterprises engaged in open pit mining operations.

Design documentation is developed in accordance with the "Instruction on the procedure of liquidation and conservation of hazardous production facilities associated with the use of mineral resources" (approved by the Resolution of the Federal Mining and Industrial Supervision Service of Russia dated June 2, 1999. No. 33), "Branch Instruction on the procedure of liquidation and conservation of coal mining enterprises" (approved by the Ministry of Fuel and Energy of the Russian Federation dated 25.05.1997 and approved by the Federal Mining and Industrial Supervision Service of Russia and the Ministry of Natural Resources), (Instruction on isolating unused mine workings and mined-out spaces in coal mines and quality control of isolation (approved by the Order of the Federal Technical Supervision Service of Russia dated 28.11.2014 № 530).

Mining enterprises that have a common border with liquidated or conserved enterprise, perform mining operations in compliance with the measures to ensure safety of mining operations.

Liquidation is a complex of works aimed at ensuring industrial and environmental safety on the territory of mine fields, prevention of emergency situations, as well as reclamation of disturbed lands and other environmental protection measures.

Liquidation or conservation of mine workings is carried out as follows:

• Upon completion of development of balance sheet reserves of a mineral deposit;
• Upon request of the subsoil user, in case of temporary impossibility or impracticability of its further exploitation for various reasons;
• Upon termination of the term of the license for subsoil use.

Liquidation of the pit is allowed in following cases:

• After full depletion of balance reserves;
• When there are no prospects for adding new reserves;
• When it is impossible and impractical to redevelop the deposit using the existing off-balance sheet reserves.

In case of liquidation and conservation of mine workings the following works are carried out:

• ​Creation of the earth barrier to prevent access of people and animals to the working;
• ​Flattening of the bench walls is carried out;
• ​To ensure stability of walls, their stability is assessed taking into account flooding.

During the period established by the project, there is a constant control of the subsoil user and the Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Supervision over the condition of mine workings. Mine workings are commissioned after coordination with the territorial bodies of the Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Supervision according to the technical project.

Projects of reserves development, construction, reconstruction and technical re-equipment of the enterprise, technical project of reserves development.

Reserves within the licensed boundaries of the open pit field are calculated according to mining and geological conditions, design capacity is calculated, operation mode is established, technical decisions on the method of stripping, development system, dumping facilities, open pit transport are made. In the documentation graphic drawings and appendices are developed by sections. Safety issues related to open pit mining are elaborated. During mining operations changes in mining and geological conditions are possible, in connection with this there is a need for development of amendments, technical re-equipment or reconstruction of the enterprise. Thus, a range of works is considered in each specific case for legitimate operation of the enterprise.

For commissioning of the open pit mine a construction permit is required, except for enterprises mining commonly occurring minerals, which are mined without drilling and blasting operations.

​In order to develop the subsoil sites containing minerals, a technical project for the development of the deposit is prepared.

Preparation of the technical project of deposit development is carried out for approving the reserve losses and obtaining a clarified mining allotment.

Development of the technical re-equipment project of the enterprise significantly reduces costs by reducing the cost of research and design documentation compared to the reconstruction, expansion of production and new construction. There is no need to pass state expert review once again in case of changes in design documentation during enterprise construction, and it allows developing the minimum required scope for fulfillment of required tasks.

Designer's supervision

Designer's supervision is the final stage of project implementation. Designer's supervision is provided at the stage of construction of an enterprise. The purpose of designer's supervision in construction is to exclude unreasonable deviations from the requirements of design, engineering and estimate documentation. It is a guarantee that the construction facility will be accepted for operation and its characteristics will comply with the design solutions.