Mild weather hampers winter roads in Russia, Canada
Normally one hears about bad weather closing down roads and transportation. In a twist, warmer weather has hampered the construction of roads in Canada and Russia- roads made of ice, that is, the so-called “winter roads” that serve a number of mines in remote regions of those countries.
According to a news release from GeoProMining, an international diversified resources company, several factors have complicated the construction of the critical winter road that serves the Senatchen gold-antimony mine in Yakutia, Russia. Not only has Yakutia's winter season been relatively mild this year, but weather conditions have been constantly and rapidly shifting.
GeoProMining went on to reassure concerned parties that they completed the winter road in time for Senatchen's 2012-2013 production season.
The same problems plagued Canadian ice roads between Fort Chipewyan and Fort McMurray, reported CBC.
The Senatchen gold-antimony mine is located 700 km away from the town of Ust-Nera in Yakutia, Russian. The only overland method of transportation to this remote region is the winter road, which is built through the frozen beds of the Elgi and Adycha rivers. The road is only open from February to April; outside of that time frame, Senatchen can only be reached by helicopter.
The winter road is used to bring ore out of the Senatchen gold-antimony mine and deliver technical resources and diesel fuel that the mine will use during for the next production season.
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