Rock waste dumps on the Davydov Glacier (Akshyirak Range, Tien Shan)

V. A. Kuzmichenok

doi:10.15356/2076-6734-2012-1-95-104

Rock waste dumps on the Davydov Glacier (Akshyirak Range, Tien Shan)

V. A. Kuzmichenok

https://doi.org/10.15356/2076-6734-2012-1-95-104

Abstract

Since 1995, a barren rock has been formed at the Davydov Glacier, due to the works at the Kumtor Gold Mine. By the end of 2010, total amount of the rock, stockpiled on the glacier, apparently exceeded 200 million tons, the height of dumps of rock sometimes exceeded 50 meters. The most noticeable effects of this are provoking local surges of the Davydov Glacier and squeezing glacier ice out of the dumps of rock. For a detailed analysis of both processes, we also used the results of periodic geodetic measurements (over 8000) of monitoring rods (about 800 rods) of the gold mining company. A number of local surges of the glacier has been found, the first of which began in March–April 2002. To analyze glacier squeezing out of the dumps of rock, mathematical modeling of that process has been done. It was established that in most cases, the glacier is almost completely squeezed out of for 1–2 years.

Keywords

Dump of rock, glacier, glacier squeezing out, glacier surge.,

About the Author

V. A. Kuzmichenok

Institute of Water Problems and Hydroenergetics, National Academy of Sciences, Kirgiz Republic, Bishkek
Russian Federation

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Supplementary files

For citation: Kuzmichenok V.A. Rock waste dumps on the Davydov Glacier (Akshyirak Range, Tien Shan). Ice and Snow. 2012;52(1):95-104. https://doi.org/10.15356/2076-6734-2012-1-95-104

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