Authorities in Kostanay Region’s Zhitikara District have halted an illegal precious metal mining operation on agricultural land, according to inbusiness.kz, citing Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture.
Investigations revealed that a local LLP had acquired the land rights under the designation “for agricultural production.” However, instead of farming, the company illegally extracted precious metals by washing soil.
Regulatory and law enforcement agencies discovered prospectors, along with specialized machinery, metal detectors, and other mining tools, actively engaged in the unauthorized extraction of minerals.
Additionally, authorities recorded the destruction of fertile soil layers. As a result, the Department for Land Resources Management of Kostanay Region imposed a fine of 2.6 million tenge on the violators. The company has also been ordered to restore the damaged soil caused by its illegal activities.
