Polyus said in an inaugural water usage report that total water demand withdrawal of water from natural sources per tonne of ore processed has also declined by 28% between 2016-2020.   

It added that 50% of the company's demand is now met by pit water inflow, meltwater and rainwater, with freshwater consumption "progressively reduced". 

"By publishing its first Water Report, Polyus is setting a new standard for water reporting in Russia," said Pavel Grachev, chief executive of Polyus.

"Like other miners, we require water for our production processes. As a sustainable company we must ensure that we use our resources responsibly and efficiently to minimise our impact on the environment. Maximum transparency is a central aspect of our work in this area."

The progress follows the launch in 2019 of the ‘Water Campaign', a series of managerial and technical initiatives that aimed to reduce the withdrawal of freshwater through the prevention of leaks and more efficient reuse of water.

"The Water Campaign helped to decrease the amount of water spent per ton of gold produced by 18% in 2020 compared to 2019," said the company.

"Polyus intends to further reduce the volume of water intake, increase the efficiency of wastewater treatment, and increase the share of quarry water in its consumption," noted the company in statement.