Three Large Quarries Found Near Lake Balkhash; Damage Nears Half a Billion Tenge

The Karaganda regional department of QMA has uncovered illegal extraction of iron and manganese ore near Sayak village, close to Lake Balkhash, the agency's press service said. The work was carried out by LLP “Vertex Co.” and LLP “MiningMetall” without subsoil use rights or required permits.

Hired workers and special equipment, including excavators, loaders, a crusher and dump trucks, were used. The ore was crushed and taken to a railway station for shipment and sale.

Inspectors found three quarries with traces of large-scale digging, totalling 338 thousand cubic metres of removed soil. Experts estimate that 485 million tenge is needed to restore the land. By court order, two special equipment units, a vehicle and a commercial facility were banned from use, and a suspect was placed under bail. The investigation continues.

Earlier, Zhetysu region stopped an attempt to export 2.6 thousand tonnes of gold ore worth 1.5 billion tenge, which customs documents listed as copper ore.