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The Group is committed to reducing water consumption where possible, as set out in its Environmental Policy. The Group HSS Committee is responsible for monitoring water use. The General Directors of the Group’s operations are responsible for implementing efficiency initiatives to minimise water consumption at site level.
Sources of water for use in new mining projects are considered in detail prior to commencement of construction and this analysis forms an integral part of any scoping or feasibility study. The KAZ Minerals Projects Division, together with senior management and the Board, considers the availability of fresh water for copper processing and any likely adverse effect on local communities or the surrounding environment before approving a new development project.
All of KAZ Minerals’ existing mining and processing sites benefit from access to sufficient fresh water to meet design capacity and none of the Group’s operations are located in severely water stressed areas. The Group seeks to conserve and recycle as much water as possible, with the main sources of reusable water being from the tailings storage facilities and mine water inflow. The Aktogay and Bozshakol sulphide concentrators are designed to be efficient in their water consumption and utilise processes to reduce potential losses through evaporation.
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 56,811 | 57,528 |
| Aktogay | 32,803 | 28,912 |
| Bozshakol | 14,718 | 19,436 |
| East Region | 8,745 | 8,764 |
| Bozymchak | 545 | 416 |
| 2023 | 2022 | |
| Aktogay | 0.60 | 0.57 |
| Bozshakol | 0.45 | 0.59 |
| East Region | 3.66 | 3.36 |
| Bozymchak | 0.46 | 0.37 |
| Total | 0.63 | 0.66 |
Water withdrawal across the Group decreased by 1% during 2023 as Bozshakol achieved a 24% reduction in water usage by consuming a greater proportion of water from the tailings storage facility following the realignment of the pump station in late 2022. Water levels at the facility are now relatively low, and as a result an increase in water withdrawal at Bozshakol is expected in 2024. At Aktogay, water consumption rose by 13%, driven by the 8% increase in ore processed during the year, and a reduction in water recycling from the tailings storage facility due to weather-related factors.
Raising awareness of important environmental issues and conservation of natural resources
Read more| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 56,811 | 57,528 |
| Surface water | 17,937 | 23,134 |
| Groundwater1 | 38,874 | 34,394 |
The water withdrawal intensity of the Group’s operations, measured as cubic metres per tonne of sulphide ore processed, reduced in 2023 to 0.63 m3 /t (2022: 0.66 m3 /t), driven by the improvement in water recycling from the tailings storage facility at Bozshakol.