12 December 2019
The Kumtor gold mine landslide: high resolution Planet Labs images
Posted by Dave Petley
The Kumtor gold mine landslide: high resolution Planet Labs images
Last week I highlighted the enormous landslide at the Kumtor Gold Mine on 1st December 2019. This was the latest in a series of failures at this very high altitude mine in Kyrgyzstan. Two employees from the mine were killed in the landslide. The best image that I have found of this landslide was published by 24.kg, which shows a view from the toe:-
An oblique view of the Kumtor gold mine landslide in Kyrgyzstan. Image from 24.kg.
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The giant scale of this landslide is clear from the above image, as is the enormous challenges posed by the recovery operations for the victims. The excavations for this work can be seen on the right side of the landslide toe.
Planet Labs have captured high resolution images of this landslide using their SkySat instrument. As usual they are remarkable. This is the site prior to the failure:-
Planet Labs SkySat image of the site of Kumtor gold mine landslide.
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Note the fresh tipping activity on the left side of the image. There is some possible evidence of tension cracks at the toe of the slide on the right side of the image.
This is the image after the failure:-
Planet Labs SkySat image of the Kumtor gold mine landslide.
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The image shows the full length of the landslide from the rear scarp on the left to the toe on the right, The excavations for the rescue operations can be seen near to the toe. The crown of the landslide has cut through the area of recent tipping. A huge mass has failed, and there is extensive evidence of tensional cracking through the landslide body. On the right side of the landslide mass it appears that a facility of some sort has been partially buried.
This is one of the largest mining landslides of recent years. There has long been deep concern about landslides at the Kumtor gold mine. This is unlikely to be the last we hear on the topic.
Reference
Planet Team (2019). Planet Application Program Interface: In Space for Life on Earth. San Francisco, CA. https://www.planet.com/
Dave Petley is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hull in the United Kingdom. His blog provides commentary and analysis of landslide events occurring worldwide, including the landslides themselves, latest research, and conferences and meetings.
“On the right side of the landslide mass it appears that a facility of some sort has been partially buried.”
Google earth (2016) shows what looks like an explosive storage facility at that location. The recent photos suggest it was decommissioned prior to the current slide.
I guess you can’t expect much stability if you are tipping onto or beside a glacier that seems to be quite active, landslide wise, itself.
Impresionante, seria interesante conocer las condiciones previas de 30 dias, de lluvias, cambios de condiciones climáticas y trabajos de preparación de la mina.
The fresh water from Lake Issyk-kul and other lake is going to more valuable than gold in future.
It is not wise to mine gold in a glacier mountain.
The health of future generation will be affected by the contamination from toxic left by mining.
Water quality will deteriorate as a result of toxic chemical like cyanide and others is leaked into the lake and river which will be used for irrigation and consuming by many nation.
The most devastating effect is the environmental damage on the glacier which would hasten the climate change.This will have an irreversible impact on the whole world.
Therefore mining on glacier should be totally prohibited . It should be a crime on humanity.. Company who mines on glacier should prosecuted heavily and mining activity should be totally stop.