UPDATE: Official: Russia’s Uralkali may launch some parts of flooded mine

(Adds further details in third paragraph)

PERM, Nov 27 (PRIME) -- Russian fertilizer producer Uralkali plans to launch several parts of its flooded mine Solikamsk-2, Sergei Devyatkov, the city of Solikamsk’s mayor, said Thursday.

“The situation has seen no changes today. The saline solution inflow has reduced. Pumps are in operation, yesterday we pumped 5,600 cubic meters of water. We plan to launch several parts of the production, we are monitoring the situation, and the results will be considered at the next meeting of the civil defense and emergencies committee to be held next week,” Devyatkov said.

Uralkali will build some areas of the mine; it will also elaborate a system of remote control of the saline solution level in excavations and will make new excavations to dump excess solution. All these measures will help the company save the mine, Devyatkov said.

On November 18, Uralkali had to evacuate all workers and halt production at its Solikamsk-2 mine after it saw an influx of saline solution. The Emergency Ministry said in a report that it detected soil subsidence to the east of Solikamsk-2. The mine’s capacities, including the potash chloride plant at the mine, account for 20% of the company’s potash chloride output.

End