On Monday, Khordad 19 (June 9, 2025), during a visit to the site of the gold extraction plant under construction near Mazoujdar village, the acting governor of Saqqez emphasized that the investor must take forward-thinking, practical, and simultaneous actions to protect water, soil, and air.
Ziaoddin No’mani, referring to the statement made by the CEO of Kurdistan Gold Company regarding the use of modern technologies to reduce pollution, stressed the importance of strict compliance and genuine commitment to environmental issues, adding that oversight bodies regularly monitor the mine’s operations. No’mani praised the investment initiative by SHASTA as commendable and highlighted the importance of employing local people in the mine and the factory. He also stated that contributing to the development and prosperity of the region, implementing compensatory measures to protect nature, and obtaining health impact assessments are other obligations that the investor must uphold.
Mohammad Rashid Ghafoori, head of the office of the parliamentary representative for Saqqez and Baneh, also emphasized the importance of environmental protection and the safeguarding of water, soil, and air, referring to the follow-ups made by Mohsen Biglari during the recent visit of the Minister of Industry, Mine, and Trade to the province.
The CEO of Kurdistan Gold Company stated: “The construction of the gold extraction plant began in Ordibehesht 1402 (May 2023) with an investment of \$65 million and an estimated 500 direct job opportunities, and it is expected to be operational by the end of the current year.”
Meghdad Majdi added that the area was listed in a public auction in 2012 and was awarded in 2013 to one of the subsidiaries of Sadr Tamin Investment Company (a SHASTA subsidiary).
He explained that the Qolqoleh Gold Complex in Saqqez includes both a mine and a factory. The ore will be extracted from the Qolqoleh mine and transferred to the factory for gold recovery using the tank leaching method to reduce environmental pollution.
Majdi noted that emergency ponds are under construction, and the Saqqez gold mine differs from others in that it includes a detoxification unit, piezometric wells, online monitoring equipment, and measures to prevent chemical leakage into the ground.
He reiterated the company's commitment to environmental compliance and mentioned that the Provincial Water Resources Quality Control Task Force has recently convened to assess the protection of groundwater sources.
Majdi also stated that, as part of health monitoring efforts, a health impact assessment is being developed by the Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, and an ecological plan is being undertaken by the University of Kurdistan.
Eyub Sharifi, head of Saqqez’s Department of Environment, stated that the mine has obtained the necessary permits for extraction and identified daily environmental monitoring as a key concern.
He requested that the exact capacity of the tailings storage facility be specified and called for the simultaneous progress of the tailings dam construction with the project itself to minimize the risk of groundwater infiltration. He added that after the project is operational, environmental experts will monitor the environmental issues on a daily basis.
Osman Salehzadeh, head of the Natural Resources Department, also called for watershed management and compensatory actions for rangelands that are damaged during the mining process.**

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