OREANDA-NEWS. October 29, 2010. EuroChem’s Kovdorskiy GOK has launched a RUR 22.5m investment project to drawn down water inflow from the Zhelezny mine pit for use in the production process.  This project is being implemented as part of EuroChem’s environmental policy.

The project will enable EuroChem to stop drawing water from Kovdor Lake, an environmentally protected site, for the production needs of Kovdorskiy GOK’s main divisions: the processing plant and cogeneration power plant. Current water intake from the lake totals approximately 10.5m cubic meters a year. The Murmansk Regional Committee for Ecology and Use of Natural Resources is responsible for the monitoring of Kovdor Lake, in accordance with Russian Federation law. Switching to the use of groundwater from the mine pit will help to reduce the impact that the plant has on the environment, to preserve the flora and fauna of Kovdor Lake and to improve the ecological situation both in the areas adjacent to the factory and within the city located in the vicinity of the production facilities.

The project will be implemented by deploying of a number of engineering solutions, including construction of an additional pipeline, pump station and groundwater storage reservoir as well as installation of electrical equipment. The facilities are scheduled for commissioning in May 2011; in addition to enhanced environmental safety, the company will be able to decrease its annual expenditures related to use of natural resources by RUR 3m.