Officials at Centerra Gold announced the Kumtor mine in Kyrgyzstan has resumed operations after road access was re-established along with power to the site. Convoys are now transporting supplies, consumables and personnel to and from the mine. Although most operations were suspended between last Thursday and Saturday, Centerra continued to operate onsite equipment to remove ice and waste from the pit’s high movement area.
Tensions were high in the town of Jalalabad where protesters seized a local administration building on Friday, demanding the government cancel agreements with Centerra amid violent clashes with police. Locals have raised demands ranging from jobs at Kumtor to the building of new roads, according to Reuters. Since 2005, two presidents have been ousted in Kyrgyzstan where local clans defy the government authority.
A state of emergency declared by Kyrgyz Government authorities continues; however, company officials do not believe that the suspension of operations will have a significant impact on 2013 gold production.
