Tailings Management

Tailings management facility (TMF) regularly surveyed for safety by external experts.

TMF structures confirmed to be in good condition and safe.

Effluents discharged from TMF are treated to meet designated quality criteria.

Tailings refer to the water and solid materials (together called slurry) that remain after recoverable metals and minerals of economic value are removed from the crushed rock ore by milling and processing. Kumtor’s tailings are carried via 6 kilometres of pipeline from the mill to the tailings management facility (TMF) where they are deposited, settled, and contained. The liquid component is treated before discharge and the solid component retained in a tailings dam.

The Kumtor TMF includes a set of twin tailings pipelines (one of which is backup), a tailings dam, an effluent treatment plant, and two diversion ditches to direct surface water around the TMF. In addition to general tailings management, monitoring and control are carried out.