Kazakhstan: fatal fire in a mine belonging to ArcelorMittal

A tragic fire in a Kazakh mine belonging to the ArcelorMittal group has claimed the lives of at least two people, highlighting regular criticism of the steel giant for its repeated accidents. As rescuers continue to search for three missing miners, the situation raises concerns about safety in the mining industry.

Share:

Subscribe for unlimited access to all energy sector news.

Over 150 multisector articles and analyses every week.

Your 1st year at 99 $*

then 199 $/year

*renews at 199$/year, cancel anytime before renewal.

At least two people died in Kazakhstan in a fire at an ArcelorMittal coal mine, announced the authorities on Friday, who regularly criticize the global steel giant for repeated accidents.

Mining tragedy in Kazakhstan: Two bodies found, three miners still missing

“Rescuers have found two bodies and are continuing the search for three other miners” still missing more than 24 hours after the fire broke out, said in a statement the regional administration of Karaganda, a mining region in the center of this Central Asian country where the accident took place.

This information was confirmed by ArcelorMittal, quoted by Kazakh news agencies. On Thursday morning, 227 people were in the mine when a conveyor belt caught fire 170 meters underground. 222 miners were quickly evacuated, and eleven of them are “still hospitalized”, according to the regional administration.

ArcelorMittal operates some fifteen plants and mines in this extremely polluted industrial zone of this vast, resource-rich former Soviet republic. The Group is regularly criticized by Kazakhstan for failing to comply with safety and environmental standards. After yet another fatal accident at ArcelorMittal in December, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev denounced the “systemic nature” of accidents involving the group, which have cost the lives of “more than a hundred people since 2006”.

In response, the Kazakh government had even threatened to ban the group, a warning reiterated on Thursday, according to a statement published on the presidential website. Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s largest economy, is rich not only in oil and gas, but also in uranium, manganese, iron, chromium and coal.

Valor Mining Credit Partners completes its first major financing with a secured loan to strengthen the operational capacity of a U.S. mining site.
Amid tensions on the Midwest power grid, Washington orders the continued operation of the J.H. Campbell plant to secure electricity supply over the coming months.
Peabody Energy abandons the acquisition of Anglo American’s Australian coal assets, triggering an arbitration process following the failure of a post-incident agreement at the Moranbah North mine.
Core Natural Resources announces USD220.2mn in operating cash flow for the second quarter of 2025, while revising its capital return strategy and increasing post-merger synergies.
A report by Wood Mackenzie reveals that geopolitical pressures and rising global electricity demand could keep coal-fired generation elevated well beyond current forecasts.
Ramaco Resources officially opens in the United States the first mine dedicated to rare earths in seven decades, also inaugurating Wyoming's first new coal mining operation in over half a century during a ceremony attended by senior political officials.
Turkish power producer Eren Energi Elektrik Uretim has launched a tender to buy 375,000 tonnes of thermal coal to be delivered in five shipments starting from August 2025, according to a document seen by Platts on June 27.
Ireland ends four decades of coal-based electricity production by converting its Moneypoint power plant to heavy fuel oil, now exclusively reserved for the balancing market until 2029.
Duke Energy Indiana will launch a technical study to evaluate the potential sale of its coal units at the Cayuga site following the planned commissioning of new natural gas plants in 2029 and 2030.
China's coal imports dropped 18% in May, driven by historically low domestic prices and significant growth in national production, shifting the country's energy market dynamics.
India’s unprecedented drop in power demand led to a sharp decline in coal-based generation in May, while renewable energy output reached a record high.
Greenpeace data shows a renewed wave of coal projects in early 2025, as renewable capacity surpasses thermal energy for the first time.
Financial giant BlackRock highlights economic and strategic risks linked to an antitrust procedure backed by Washington, targeting major asset managers accused of conspiring to reduce coal production in the United States.
Adani Power will supply 1,500 MW to Uttar Pradesh through an ultra-supercritical coal power plant built under the DBFOO model, at a tariff of Rs 5.383 per unit.
A satellite analysis led by Ember and Kayrros shows that methane emissions from Australian mines are 40% higher than official reports, revealing significant gaps in the current coal sector monitoring.
Donald Trump issues several executive orders aimed at reducing regulations on the U.S. coal industry, addressing economic expectations from coal-producing states while securing national energy supply.
Backed by Chinese funding, Zambia and Zimbabwe are reviving coal projects in contrast to international energy sector trends.
New coal-fired electricity capacity added in 2024 dropped to 44 GW, driven mainly by China and India, according to a report released on Thursday.
Finnish energy company Helen has halted operations at the Salmisaari plant, the country’s last coal facility, halving its carbon dioxide emissions in one year.
India crosses the symbolic milestone of producing over one billion tonnes of coal for the first time, significantly cutting its imports and strengthening energy independence through recent governmental reforms in the mining sector.

Log in to read this article

You'll also have access to a selection of our best content.

or

Go unlimited with our annual offer: $99 for the 1styear year, then $ 199/year.