Tailings and mine safety
Since 2018 the leases of the Sary-Bulak mines and the Chatkal Chemical Smelting Complex carry tailings-safety conditions: monitoring of dams and pipelines, a reserve of capacity, and reports to the ministry. The facilities are inspected by the Chatkal Placer Mining Inspectorate; since 2025 the Combine publishes environmental reports.
Facilities under supervision
| Facility | Built | State | Inspection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sary-Bulak tailings facility | 1972 | valley dam ~42 m; ~11.8 million m³; about 9 years' capacity left | quarterly |
| Chatkal tailings facility | 1996 | in use | quarterly |
| Chatkal Tailings Repository (Soviet, closed) | 1964 | closed; shared responsibility of the Combine and the ISEZ Government | twice a year |
| Kümüshtü tailings (Talas District) | 1970s | capped by the ministry in 2012 | once a year |
Fines imposed 2019–2025 include 3.4 million som for the break of the tailings pipeline in April 2019, when about 1,500 m³ of slurry reached the Sary-Bulak stream. An upper-gorge cell of the Sary-Bulak facility was dropped from the plans in 2019 after objections from herders.
Public hearing: mercury recovery unit
The small mercury recovery unit of the Chatkal Chemical Smelting Complex has been idle since 2019. Under the Restart Programme it may run again only after a new permit and a public hearing. The hearing is on 26 November 2026 at 15:00 at the Rudnik house of culture. Anyone may speak; residents of Rudnik and the Chatkal works settlement are asked to register at the door. Written comments are received until 10 December 2026 by post to the ministry or at hearings@naturalresources.id.gov.