In 2020, Alrosa Group diamond mining companies remediated 1,306 ha of land where mining took place. This was done as part of a specially created programme. Pine, larch and willow seedlings were planted and perennial cereals were sown on the Group’s former industrial sites. Remediation expenses amounted to RUB 129 million ($1.74 million).
Land remediation is a comprehensive process that includes technical and biological rehabilitation of land resources, including tailing dumps and water reservoirs, as well as restoration of land integrity after exploration. In order to restore the territories’ environmental balance, Alrosa’s specialists sow them, analyse the biosphere and measure the plants.
Nadezhda Liss, Chief Specialist for Land Remediation and Resources Management at Alrosa, said, “Remediating lands where mining took place is a priority for Alrosa that gave rise to a dedicated programme through to 2026. In 2020, the company met its remediation commitments in full. We perform year-long monitoring to see how the planted trees are adapting to the soil. Last year, adaptability was at 85%.”
She also noted that remediation is considered complete only after a stable vegetation cover has formed. Sometimes this process takes more than one year. In 2021, Alrosa plans to reintegrate 48% of used lands into the ecosystem.