Centerra Gold reported that the national grid power supply to the Kumtor mine has been disrupted by local protesters. The road leading to the mine also continues to be blocked by illegal protests. The mine has begun an orderly shutdown of the milling facility using back-up diesel-generated power. The camp and other facilities at the site are also currently operating on back-up power. Mining operations have also been suspended other than continuing operations to manage the ice and waste in the high movement area of the open pit. The company continues to cooperate closely with the Kyrgyz government and local authorities with a view to a peaceful resolution of the situation.
The largest mine operated by a Western company in the ex-Soviet republics of Central Asia, Kumtor is bisected by a glacier 13,000 ft above sea level. In 2011, the mine represented 12% of the country’s GDP.
