ALROSA announced yesterday that it has plans to invite an independent auditor to analyse the causes of the recent accident at its Mir mine. The Company said it is necessary that     the auditor appointed for the task should be “experienced in work at underground diamond mining facilities with similar hydrogeological conditions”. The decision was taken as a result of a resolution passed at the initiative of the independent members of ALROSA Supervisory Board.

Two possible auditors – amongst others – for the task have been named:   SRK Consulting and DMT Group.    

“An independent audit will be conducted to make an overall assessment of all decisions and actions at the design, construction and operation stages of Mir underground mine,” the Company announced. “This will make it possible to find out the causes of the accident on August 4 and to assess the adequacy of the measures taken for its prevention and elimination.”

ALROSA foresees a thorough inquiry at all levels: “International experts are to assess the pre-project option of the underground mining technology for the Mir pipe, correctness of the underground mine construction and operation project, and existing procedures for technical decision-making in terms of industrial safety. Among other things, there will be a comprehensive assessment of the correctness of the initial data used to calculate and model the reliability of the safety pillar, as well as technological parameters for drainage and dewatering systems, systems for integrated monitoring of safe operation and cut-and-fill system for diamond mining at Mir underground mine.”

Among the other aspects, experts will also examine the implementation of the design in construction and operation of the underground mine. In the final analysis, the main question that the Company hopes to have answered is: Was it possible to prevent the accident from taking place?

Sergey Ivanov, ALROSA President commented: “We are interested in the most objective and highly professional independent assessment of what happened. At the same time, we know that there are no analogous mines with similar hydrogeological conditions in our country. There are a few competent specialists in Russia with the relevant experience, and the company engaged most of them at the stage of the mine design and operation. We are counting on assessment by independent international experts who have experience in mine planning and production for deposits with similar adverse hydrological conditions.”

 Ivanov had earlier ordered an overall safety assessment of mining operations at all the Company’s underground mines by today, September 1, 2017.  “A special purpose expert group is to assess the potential impact of water bodies on mine workings and measures taken to prevent water breakthrough from depleted open pit mines,” ALROSA said.