Project to strengthen the safety of mining operations, in particular tailings management facilities (TMFs), in Tajikistan and Central Asia

Project Objectives 

The general objective of the project was to strengthen the safety of TMFs in Tajikistan and Central Asia. In particular, the project aimed to achieve the following:

• Enhance the capacity of Tajikistan to reduce water-related risks by improving the management of TMFs, including with regard to control measures to prevent the release and ensure the environmentally sound management of mercury
• Improve institutional coordination among the respective national authorities regarding TMF safety and industrial accident prevention, preparedness and response  
• Support Tajik competent authorities in identifying and rating TMFs with regard to the hazard they pose for human health and the environment, with a focus on TMFs likely to cause transboundary pollution
• Support Tajik competent authorities and operators in improving the safety of TMFs through identifying short-, medium- and long-term measures to address safety deficiencies in TMFs  
• Strengthen the implementation of the UNECE Industrial Accidents and Water Conventions to enhance water management and to reduce related risks
• Strengthen countries’ knowledge about international Conventions in the field of chemicals and waste management, including on the relevance of ratification and implementation of those Conventions by Tajikistan for an improved management of mining tailings, and on the relevant guidance materials  
• Share experiences and lessons learned on TMF safety, particularly with regard to preventing the release and improving the environmentally sound management of mercury, with the other Central Asia countries.

Project Beneficiaries 

The main beneficiary of the project was Tajikistan and its competent authorities and operators. The project was implemented in close cooperation with the national competent authority in the area of preventing accidental water pollution from TMF accidents in Tajikistan, notably: 

• Service of the State Supervision over the Safe Conduct of Work in Industry and Mining Supervision under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan
• Committee on Emergency Situations and Civil Defence under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, and
• Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan 

The project was implemented in close cooperation with other relevant authorities, e.g. at the local level, and industry representatives. Representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan also benefited from the project and were invited to specific activities, notably to the subregional workshop in autumn 2019.

Project Activities  

• Improved institutional structures and cooperation mechanisms between authorities at the national and local levels, and between authorities and the industry in Tajikistan.
• Enhanced levels of TMF safety and the sound management of chemicals in Tajikistan and Central Asia.
• Increased awareness and level of implementation of international legal instruments, notably of the UNECE Industrial Accidents and Water Conventions and the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
• Reduced risks of TMF failures for Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.
• Improved transboundary cooperation between the countries in Central Asia related to the prevention of water pollution from TMFs accidents.

Why was the project needed?

Tajikistan, along with other Central Asian countries, relies heavily on economic activities that produce, process or use hazardous substances in large quantities. Such activities encompass the extraction and processing of minerals and metals, such as gold, mercury and uranium.

The main risks related to TMFs in Tajikistan are:

• Abandoned, improperly handled or orphaned TMFs, storing enormous quantities of hazardous substances
• Release of mercury or other heavy metals and hazardous substances, leading to soil pollution due to the formation of acid mine drainage
• Groundwater contamination and ecosystem damage caused by the degradation of tailings
• Accidental water pollution, due to the leakage or failure of TMFs, affecting drinking water quality and quantity, and leading to severe transboundary impacts
   

Improving the safety of the TMFs and strengthening the prevention of water pollution are crucial for Tajikistan, in the light of major infrastructure initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative and future envisaged developments, including in the mining sector.

The project supported the beneficiaries in their implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction for 2015-2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 6 and target 6.3: to improve water quality by 2030, by minimizing the release of hazardous chemicals and materials, and Goal 9 to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.