Current State of Water Resources and Problems of Their Use in Border Regions of Russia (The Ob-Irtysh Basin as a Case Study)

Zinoviev, A. T.; Kosheleva, Evgenya D.; Галахов, В. П.; Golubeva, Anastasia B.; Рыбкина, И. Д.; Stoyashcheva, N. V.; Kurepina, N. Yu.

doi:10.1007/698_2020_604

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Growing population, irrigation of expanding cultivation areas, and accelerating resource extraction drive water demand on the River in this neighboring country. The resulting degraded water quality, coupled with reduced flows, heightens tensions between nations upstream and downstream of the River [32,38,39].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mine Water Use in Kazakhstan: Data Issues, Risks, and Regulations

Atakhanova,

Meirambayeva,

Baigaliyeva

2024

Sustainability

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Kazakhstan experiences medium-high water stress, intensified by the rapid expansion of mining operations. Due to the scarcity of public data on water use in Kazakhstan’s mining, we use a case study to make inferences about industry-level water use. Specifically, we apply the ICMM water accounting framework and assess water use at one of Kazakhstan’s new copper mines. We find that this mine has managed to achieve a high level of water reuse and minimal impact on water quality. Yet, the company has a relatively high share of water entrained in waste and a high rate of increase in freshwater withdrawals. Our estimates suggest that the operation of this mine has resulted in a 1.5% increase in withdrawals of Kazakhstan’s extractive industries. Considering that during the last decade, the number of mining companies increased by 50%, we can conclude that the cumulative water impacts of mining in Kazakhstan have been substantial. The forthcoming uptake of critical minerals production may further strain Kazakhstan’s water resources. Thus, the rapidly increasing mine water use and rising risks due to climate change and the sharing of water with neighboring countries call for urgent strengthening of Kazakhstan’s water governance and institutions.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%