The Russian occupying authorities have begun gold mining in the Lugansk region, on territory under the control of the Russian Federation, according to a report by the National Resistance Center (NRC). According to the cited source, four “permits” were issued in the Antracit district for the exploration and exploitation of gold, as well as for the identification of copper and zinc deposits.
All these authorizations were concentrated in the hands of a single company, “Severnaia Mining Company”, which gained monopolistic control over the area and the right to expand activities over an area exceeding 250 square kilometers. Sources within the NRC claim that the company was specifically created to operate in the occupied territories, benefiting from minimal requirements in terms of environmental protection and social responsibility.
The company was granted preferential conditions and simplified project approval procedures, and the control mechanisms operate in a non-transparent regime. This allows the exploration and exploitation activities to be carried out without environmental impact assessments and without public consultations. According to the NRC, cheap and extremely harmful technologies are used, including cyanide leaching methods and mercury-based substances.
Exploitation without care for the environment and people
Experts warn that the exploitation of gold and associated metals, under these conditions, will have serious consequences on water resources. The use of toxic chemicals will lead to the contamination of groundwater and local rivers, making the water unfit even for technical or domestic use. Wells and boreholes could become sources of chronic poisoning, with direct effects on the health of the civilian population.
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