"Bashkir Soda Company" found raw materials source: Toratau will not be developed

UFA, 7 December 2018. /Bashinform News Agency/ translated by Tatiana Aksyutina/. The raw material base for the production of "Bashkir Soda Company" will be Mount Kushtau, the Government of Bashkiria announced.

Thus, the Shikhans of Toratau and Yuraktau, having a status of specially protected natural territories, will not be developed. According to a government source, the development of Kushtau will be closely monitored so that it will be done with reclamation.

Kushtau is one of the three Shikhans, remnants of ancient coral reefs, which were located at the bottom of the Perm Sea, located in the Ishimbay district of Bashkiria, 18 km east of the city of Sterlitamak and 140 km south of the city of Ufa. The villages of Shihan, Urnyak, and the ski center of Kushtau are in the immediate vicinity of the mountains.

Earlier, representatives of the "BSC" stated that the chemical composition of Kushtau raw materials was not optimal for production. At the moment representatives of the company are not available for comment.

As the possible sources of raw materials, the Government of the republic offered companies the Gumerovskoye field and other more refined sources, all of which were rejected by the BSC. Mount Toratau was named the company as the best source due to its proximity to the production and composition of limestone. The idea of developing Shihans, in particular, Toratau, was not supported by scientists - biologists, archeologists, ecologists, and the general public.

At present, the raw material base for the Bashkir Soda Company is Mount Shakhtau. Now the mountain is almost dug up, raw materials will be enough for four years, according to the company. As the media reported earlier, the Kushtau reserves will be sufficient for 50 years of uninterrupted operation of the plant.