Kumtor, the Kyrgyz Republic’s largest gold mine, accounted for most of Centerra’s production last year.
Some of the protesters broke into Canadian-owned Kumtor Gold Company office, Russian news agencies Tass and Sputnik reported. The place was empty as all employees have been working remotely since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, local news site 24.kg said.
The news comes only a day after Canada’s Centerra Gold (TSX: CG), the owner of the massive Kumtor gold mine, tried reassuring investors by saying operations continued as usual.
Kumtor, the Kyrgyz Republic’s largest gold operation, accounted for most of Centerra’s production last year. The mine, which lies near the Chinese border at an altitude of 4,000 metres, contributed 600,201 ounces to the total 783,308 ounces the Toronto-based miner generated in 2019, despite having been momentarily suspended due to a waste rock dump movement in December.
Several other miners have reported attacks on their offices and facilities since yesterday. Those include London-based Kaz Minerals, which suspended production at its Bozymchak copper-gold mine after a reported attack on another gold deposit.
