AEON yet to decide on airfield for the Syradasai coal project, will use Dikson airport

KRASNOYARSK. June 29 (Interfax) - Plans to build a new airfield for the development of the Syradasai coal field on the Taimyr Peninsula, which is being carried out by the AEON Group's LLC North Star, have been put on hold.

The company intends to use the airport at Dikson, the head of AEON, Roman Trotsenko, told journalists on the sidelines of the 10th International Siberian Transport Forum in Novosibirsk on Thursday.

"We still haven't reached a decision on its construction, because the reconstruction of the Dikson airport has been completed. We will do a transport scheme that takes the Dikson airport into account," Trotsenko said.

Dikson Airport is capable of accepting An-24, An-26, An-32, An-74 and Yak-40 aircraft, as well as helicopters of all types. The runway has been overhauled to accept a wider range of aircraft.

North Star is delivering a project to develop the Syradasai coal deposit with resources estimated at 5 billion tonnes, which is located 110 km southeast of Dikson on the Taimyr Peninsula in the Dolgano-Nenets district of Krasnoyarsk Territory. The project involves building an open-cast coal mine to produce up to 5 million tonnes per year in the first stage and 10 million tonnes per year in the second, a washing plant and necessary infrastructure, including the Yenisei seaport, roads, workers' camp, power plant and airport. Investment in the project is expected to total more than 45 billion rubles by 2025 and exceed 100 billion rubles overall.