Mining operations at the Altyntor Area are carried forth in accordance with the approved design ("Ken-Too" Design & Research Center, 2007).
Due to the years-long lagging in the stripping work, as of early Year 2022 a significant quantity of overburden (about 4.4 million cubic meters) lay inside of the Altyntor Area design pit contour above ore zones carrying a residual part of the balance ore in their lower horizons. Extraction of the bulk of commercial amenable ore will need to be preceded by removal of the overburden.
Apart from the mining operations at the Altyntor Area, during the course of Year 2022 the appropriate engineering specifications and designs have been prepared, with the following work being presently in the schedule:
- engineering-geological and engineering-geodesic work is underway for the Salton-Sary Mine water supply and effluent treatment project;
- as part of the concentrator plant upgrade, construction of a new crushing and screening floor has commenced;
- excavation of the water pipeline trench has been completed;
- demothballing and refurbishment of two hydrogeological boreholes are now completed;
- exploration drilling is in progress at the Altyntor License Area.