ALROSA has restored over four million square metres of industrial lands since 2006 in areas where it had carried out either mining or exploration activity, with more than 950 million rubles (US$ 15 million) having been allocated for the implementation of this programme, the mining company said in a statement yesterday.

During this period, activities have been undertaken to reclaim land, eliminate dusting facilities, and recreate a comfortable environment in areas where the company operates. The aim has been to ensure regeneration of the fertile layer and planting of grasses, shrubs and trees in the areas where its mining and processing divisions are located to restore the habitat to what was typical before the start of diamond mining.

“When mining operations are completed, the company must restore and then return the area back to the owner (municipality or forestry enterprise). This is a policy of conducting business and ability to implement socially oriented activities,” said Nadezhda Liss, Chief Specialist for land reclamation and resources management of ALROSA.

She further explained that till 2002, the main concept of reclamation of disturbed lands was to carry out only a technical stage for further overgrowth. “In 2002, reclamation became more complex with phased implementation of works combining both technical and biological reclamation. Today, the company reclaims land, water reservoirs and integrity of land after exploration," she stated.

Liss also noted that the company's employees are involved in land restoration: they are engaged in sowing the territory, preparing the fertile layer, taking measurements of plants, tying up young trees, etc. For example, young specialists helped with land restoration at the mining and processing division in Udachny. A site for land reclamation was created at the placer deposit near Mirny. To restore the fertile layer and plant composition, the company buys flowering plant seeds, bushes and tree seedlings.

The reclamation of the territories began in Mirny, where almost all the dump grounds of the Mir open-pit have now been reclaimed, ALROSA said. The reclamation of the Udachny open-pit dump grounds has also begun, the Company added, and dump grounds of International open-pit were partially restored.

By 2029, ALROSA plans to restore and rehabilitate 4,290 hectares of land in exploration areas. The company said it will restore the fertile layer and set out the plants in the territories where tailings of the processing plants in Mirny and Aikhal are located.