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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 water-stressed areas. The Group seeks to conserve and recycle as much water as possible, with the main sources of reusable water being from tailings 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.
| 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 41,612 | 31,525 |
| Aktogay | 18,399 | 15,483 |
| Bozshakol | 13,771 | 7,566 |
| East Region | 8,991 | 8,146 |
| Bozymchak | 451 | 330 |
| 2021 | 2020 | |
| Aktogay | 0.38 | 0.45 |
| Bozshakol | 0.42 | 0.24 |
| East Region | 3.44 | 3.06 |
| Bozymchak | 0.40 | 0.41 |
| Total | 0.49 | 0.45 |
Water withdrawal across the Group increased by 32% in 2021, primarily as a result of higher water usage at Bozshakol where maintenance works at the tailings storage facility temporarily inhibited water recycling in the second quarter. Water recycling recommenced in the third quarter and water usage in the second half of the year was significantly lower than in the first half. At Aktogay, higher water usage is a result of the 16% increase in sulphide ore processed in 2021.
The water intensity of the Group’s operations measured as cubic metres per tonne of ore processed also increased in 2021 to 0.49 m3/t (2020: 0.45 m3/t), mainly due to an increase in water usage at Bozshakol and the East Region, where less water was recycled from the tailings facility in the Nikolayevsky open pit during its initial stages of operation.
| 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | 41,612 | 31,525 |
| Surface water | 17,506 | 10,430 |
| Groundwater1 | 24,106 | 21,095 |
Total water extraction of 41,612 megalitres consisted of 17,506 megalitres extracted from surface water sources, including rivers or municipal water supplies, and 24,106 megalitres extracted from groundwater wells.