In the Republic of Khakassia, changes in approaches to geological exploration and mining of placer gold are being discussed. The head of the Association of Prospectors of Khakassia, Ruslan Shavyrkin, said that the current moratorium has exhausted itself and requires replacement with a more effective model.
The reason for the discussion was the situation in the industry: formally, there are more than 90 artels operating in the region, which have received about 170 licenses. However, according to Shavyrkin, no more than 20 companies are actually involved in mining, but over 99% placer gold provided by only five enterprises. The remaining licenses are often used formally and do not lead to full-scale exploration and development of deposits.
According to him, it was “sleeping” and exploratory licenses without real projects that formed a negative image of the industry. This problem, as noted in Rosnedra, has become one of the most controversial in the field of subsoil use. The agency has already announced plans to close the declarative principle for placer gold and move towards tighter regulation.
As an alternative, it is proposed to introduce an expanded licensing format, so-called “super licenses”. They involve the transfer of large subsoil areas to large companies with the obligation to comprehensively study the entire territory, and not individual convenient zones. This approach, according to experts, should stimulate real investment in exploration and reduce the number of formal license holders.
Ruslan Shavyrkin believes that 5–7 large responsible subsoil users capable of conducting systematic geological exploration and development of deposits would be sufficient for Khakassia. According to the state balance sheet, 65 gold deposits are registered in the republic, and the total resources exceed 130 tons. Even the development of a small portion of these reserves can generate significant economic benefits for the region, increasing tax revenues, jobs and infrastructure.
The issue of ecology is especially emphasized. All gold mining associated with the burden on nature, but current legislation provides for compensation and strict control. Now most of the cooperatives are under regional environmental supervision, and the republican authorities have the tools to suppress violations.
According to industry representatives, the transition to a system of “super licenses” can clear the market of formal players, improve the quality of geological exploration and provide Khakassia with sustainable development of gold mining with enhanced environmental control.
Source: Pulse of Khakassia
Photo: Gold and technology
