A cemented backfill plant has been commissioned at the Maiskoye deposit in Chukotka. Russia’s first facility of this kind will optimize ore recovery while providing an environmentally sustainable mining solution.

The Press Service of the Chukotka Autonomous Area Government reported that the transition from room mining to bench mining requires backfilling excavated material and creating an artificial cover that minimizes the risk of collapse, to ensure mining safety.

“Mining industry development is a priority for Chukotka’s economy. We are actively developing existing deposits. The Chukotka Autonomous Area plans to become the country’s largest mineral and commodity cluster. The development of Maiskoye’s project – the launch of a cement backfill plant – is yet another step towards the region’s long-term sustainable development and the country’s technological sovereignty,” Head of Chukotka Vladislav Kuznetsov commented.

The facility will operate using a stand-alone 5.22 MW power plant, with coal supplied from Maiskoye’s satellite deposit.

Construction of the cement backfill plant began in 2021 and received 5.2 billion rubles in total investment.