Anglo Asian Mining said local firm Iqlim and consultant Micon have carried out a full tailings dams inspection in the Gebabek district of Azerbaijan on behalf of the government.
Iqlim took environmental samples (soil, surface and underground water and air) at Gedabek with Micon to file a report to the government and the company by 8 September 2023.
Anglo Asian engaged Mine Environmental Management (MEM) to be present at the Micon inspection and ensure that it was carried out to industry standards.
In addition, Azecolab was engaged by Anglo Asian to take duplicate environmental samples which will be analysed at Azecolab's laboratory.
Micon and MEM, together with Knight Piésold, the company's tailing dam consulting engineers, and representatives of the government also visited the tailings facility near the village of Soyudlu to inspect the existing operation and site of a proposed new dam.
Preliminary sampling results showed the level of cyanide in the existing tailings dam was below the legal limit required by the government Anglo Asian said.
However, as a precautionary measure, the flotation plant halted operations on 31 July with mining also stopped.
The operation of the flotation plant will remain suspended until all environmental and safety deficits, if any, identified in the Micon Report, have been rectified.
The company's heap leach operation continues as normal except no new ore is being placed on the heaps.
The suspension of the flotation plant will result in reduced production of approximately 400 tonnes of copper and 300 ounces of gold in August with the heap leaching operation still expected to produce approximately 1,000 ounces of gold doré in August.
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