Kazakhstan’s mining and metallurgical giant Kazakhmys is implementing sweeping safety reforms following the February 2025 methane explosion at its Zhomart copper mine, which claimed seven lives. The tragedy exposed systemic risks in the sector, long regarded as one of the most hazardous in the country, and prompted regulators to issue 45 safety directives, over half of which have already been addressed.
The company has since launched a comprehensive modernisation programme under its Digital Kazakhmys initiative. Key measures include real-time GPS tracking of all underground staff, predictive gas monitoring via advanced sensors integrated into the DMMS digital platform, and the installation of an in-house gas analysis laboratory. Additional safeguards—such as automatic equipment shutdowns when methane thresholds are exceeded—aim to reduce reliance on human intervention.
Kazakhmys is also working with scientific institutes to study gas emissions in copper ore deposits, a relatively new phenomenon for the industry, with the aim of shaping updated mining regulations by 2026. The Zhomart mine has effectively become a testing ground for technologies that could transform Kazakhstan’s mining sector from one of the deadliest into a more predictable and manageable industry.
