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Cases / Mining / tailings dam · Russia · 2016

Daldykan River turns red near Norilsk, September 2016

Nature's voice · report
My Daldykan River was reported red from 6 September 2016.
Did nature suffer? Yes. Harm is on record. Disputed
Recorded
  • Nornickel described the colouring as short-term staining with iron salts after a dike overflowed on 5 September 2016. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
  • NASA Landsat imagery shows red discoloration around Norilsk in September 1997, July 1998, August 2013, July 2014 and July 2015. NASA Earth Observatory
  • In the August 2016 Landsat 8 image and the August 2001 Landsat 7 image, red water runs for several kilometres along the slurry pipeline and follows my course. NASA Earth Observatory
What the record lacks: 4 none on record · 2 disputed · 1 unclear See the gaps
Accounts of the harm differ
What caused the red colour, and did it pose a hazard to river fauna?
  • Company or project Nornickel (8 September 2016): Published photographs showing the river in its natural colour; managers told NASA the river's colour was no different from usual. Meduza
  • Company or project Nornickel (12 September 2016): Attributed the colouring to a dike overflow after abnormal heavy rain on 5 September and described it as short-term staining with iron salts presenting no hazards for people and river fauna. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
  • Government and regulators Ministry of Natural Resources: Said the cause could be an accident at a Nornickel enterprise or a ruptured slurry pipeline. Meduza
  • Communities and civil society Greenpeace Russia: Said it could not simply be said that it was no big deal, and noted that a ministry of environment commission was at the site. The Chemical Engineer

The Daldykan River near Norilsk was reported red in September 2016. Nornickel attributed the colouring to a dike overflow after heavy rain at the Nadezhda plant's tailings system; the only payment on record is an administrative fine of RUB 30,000.

RUB 30,000Fine reported for the September 2016 Daldykan River discharge
Administrative fine under Article 8.13 of the Code of Administrative Offences, which sets a range of RUB 30,000–40,000. No damage claim or damage assessment is on record.

Status As of October 2026: the only payment on record is an administrative fine of RUB 30,000 reported on 31 October 2016; no damage assessment is published.

What?
The Daldykan River near Norilsk was reported red from 6 September 2016. Nornickel attributed the colouring to a dike overflow at the Nadezhda plant's tailings system after heavy rain; the Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant was fined RUB 30,000. Meduza
Where?
The Daldykan River, which runs past the Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant southwest of Norilsk and under its tailings slurry pipeline. NASA Earth Observatory
When?
Dike overflow on 5 September 2016 (per Nornickel); red water reported on 6 September; Nornickel statement on 12 September; fine reported on 31 October 2016. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
Who?
Gained
None on record
Lost
  • Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant (Nornickel) — Fined RUB 30,000 under Article 8.13 of the Code of Administrative Offences Meduza
Harmed
Why?
Nornickel attributed the overflow to abnormal heavy rain during the draining of a modernised tailings pipeline. The Ministry of Natural Resources first pointed to a possible accident at a Nornickel enterprise or a ruptured slurry pipeline. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
How?
Before a pipe tie-in, wash water from the drained pipeline is discharged into the tailings dam; Nornickel said one of the dikes overflowed after heavy rain and water entered the river. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
6 of 6 questions answered from the record

What happened

The record, in order.

The Daldykan River runs past the Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant (NMP) southwest of Norilsk and under the plant's tailings slurry pipeline. Reports of red water in the river first appeared on 6 September 2016. Russia's Ministry of Natural Resources first said the cause could be an accident at a Nornickel enterprise or a ruptured slurry pipeline; Nornickel did not confirm a leak at that stage.

On 8 September 2016 Nornickel published photographs showing the river in its natural colour, presenting them as a rebuttal of reports of a change of colour from large-scale pollution of the river. NASA Earth Observatory quoted Nornickel managers in September 2016: "As far as we know, the color of the river today is no different from usual."

In a statement dated 12 September 2016, Nornickel said that in 2015–2016 it had modernised the tailings dam and tailings pipeline of the NMP hydrometallurgical shop; that before a pipe tie-in its standard procedure required draining the whole pipeline, with the wash water discharged into the tailings dam; and that on 5 September, after abnormal heavy rain, one of the dikes overflowed and water entered the Daldykan. It described the effect as short-term staining of the river with iron salts that "presents no hazards for people and river fauna". The Chemical Engineer reported that Nornickel accepted responsibility after first denying that plant operations caused the pollution, and that the Ministry of Natural Resources had opened an investigation.

On 31 October 2016 Meduza reported, citing REGNUM and Life.ru, that the Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant had been fined RUB 30,000 under Article 8.13 of the Code of Administrative Offences, which sets a range of RUB 30,000–40,000. Consoglobe described the fine on 2 November 2016 as 500 euros, imposed by a court after a Ministry investigation.

NASA Landsat imagery shows red discoloration around Norilsk in September 1997, July 1998, August 2013, July 2014 and July 2015. In the August 2016 Landsat 8 and August 2001 Landsat 7 images, red water trails several kilometres long run along the slurry pipeline and follow the Daldykan. Consoglobe, citing NASA images, reported six similar incidents between 1997 and 2016.

  1. 1997Red discoloration around Norilsk visible in Landsat imagery (also July 1998, August 2013, July 2014, July 2015)
  2. 2016Dike overflow at the Nadezhda tailings dam (5 Sep, per Nornickel); red water reported (6 Sep); Nornickel publishes photographs of the river in natural colour (8 Sep); Nornickel statement (12 Sep); fine of RUB 30,000 reported (31 Oct)

What was said

Claims, in the words of those who made them.

“On the 5th of September after abnormal heavy rain … the overflow of one of the dikes occurred, and water entered Daldykan river.”

“presents no hazards for people and river fauna”

“As far as we know, the color of the river today is no different from usual.”

“You can't just say that it's no big deal, Right now there is a ministry of environment commission there”

Alexei Kiselyov, Greenpeace Russia (as quoted from The Guardian) · September 2016 · The Chemical Engineer

“These effects are very marked and widespread and can be mapped using remote sensing methods.”

Gareth Rees, University of Cambridge, on discoloration in the mid-1990s (quoted by NASA Earth Observatory) · September 2016 · NASA Earth Observatory

Where accounts differ

Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.

What caused the red colour, and did it pose a hazard to river fauna?
Company or project
Nornickel (8 September 2016)

Published photographs showing the river in its natural colour; managers told NASA the river's colour was no different from usual.

Meduza
Company or project
Nornickel (12 September 2016)

Attributed the colouring to a dike overflow after abnormal heavy rain on 5 September and described it as short-term staining with iron salts presenting no hazards for people and river fauna.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
Government and regulators
Ministry of Natural Resources

Said the cause could be an accident at a Nornickel enterprise or a ruptured slurry pipeline.

Meduza
Communities and civil society
Greenpeace Russia

Said it could not simply be said that it was no big deal, and noted that a ministry of environment commission was at the site.

The Chemical Engineer
Which body imposed the RUB 30,000 fine?
Press and investigations
Consoglobe (2 November 2016)

Reported that a court imposed the fine, equivalent to 500 euros, after a Ministry investigation.

Consoglobe
Press and investigations
Meduza (31 October 2016)

Reported the fine under Article 8.13, citing REGNUM for the original report and Life.ru for the amount, without naming the body that imposed it.

Meduza

How it looked

What was shown, beside what was recorded.

Shown

  • Photographs of the river in its natural colour, published on 8 September 2016 as a rebuttal of reports of a colour change
    Nornickel · Meduza
  • The colouring described as short-term staining of the river with iron salts
    Nornickel · Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

Recorded

  • Fine of RUB 30,000 under Article 8.13 of the Code of Administrative Offences, reported on 31 October 2016
    Meduza
  • NASA Landsat imagery shows red discoloration around Norilsk in September 1997, July 1998, August 2013, July 2014 and July 2015
    NASA Earth Observatory
  • In September 2016 NASA stated that Russian investigators had not yet concluded their inquiry
    NASA Earth Observatory

Who gained

Money that reached nature, beside money that stayed elsewhere.

Reached nature or the ground

Not published
Damage compensation or restoration payment—
No damage claim or damage assessment is on record.

Gained elsewhere

Not totalled
Administrative fine, Article 8.13 (Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant)0.03m
RUB 30,000; the article sets a range of RUB 30,000–40,000.
Currency: RUB · Window: 2016. All figures cover the same period. * Estimate built from cited figures.

Responses on record

  • nornickel (2016-09-12): Said the overflow of a dike followed abnormal heavy rain on 5 September 2016, described the colouring as short-term staining with iron salts that presents no hazards for people and river fauna, and said it would eliminate the effects of the old tailings pipeline operation by sanitary stripping of the ground. · Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
  • nornickel (2016-09-08): Published photographs on 8 September 2016 showing the river in its natural colour. · Meduza

In court and with insurers

Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.

Lawsuits and rulings

  1. 2016–2016Claimant wonRUB 0.03m fine (range under the article: RUB 30,000–40,000)
    Administrative fine, Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant (Article 8.13, Code of Administrative Offences)
    Not named in the sources (Consoglobe reports a court) · Administrative · Not stated → Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant (Nornickel)

    A fine of RUB 30,000 was reported on 31 October 2016 under Article 8.13 of the Code of Administrative Offences for the colouring of the river. Consoglobe reported that a court imposed it after a Ministry investigation. Meduza

Insurers

No insurer decision on record.

What nature saw

Outcomes measured on the ground, and nature's note.

Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.

Fine reported
RUB 30,000
Administrative fine under Article 8.13, reported 31 October 2016
Earlier discoloration in satellite imagery
5 dates
September 1997, July 1998, August 2013, July 2014, July 2015 (NASA Landsat)
Damage claim
None on record
No damage assessment published

What we don't know

Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.
No independent ecological evaluation

Nature

  • Disputed What caused the red colour, and did it pose a hazard to river fauna?

Money

  • None on record Damage compensation or restoration payment — No damage claim or damage assessment is on record.

Accounts

  • Disputed Which body imposed the RUB 30,000 fine?

Record

  • Unclear Unclear: which body imposed the fine. Consoglobe reported that a court imposed it after a Ministry investigation; Meduza did not name the body.
  • None on record None on record: a final finding from the Ministry of Natural Resources or Rosprirodnadzor. In September 2016 NASA stated that Russian investigators had not yet concluded their inquiry.
  • None on record None on record: a damage calculation or compensation claim for the incident.
  • None on record None on record: water-sample concentrations, affected river length or discharged volume from a regulator.

Did the harm stop?

The company dated the dike overflow to 5 September 2016 and described the colouring as short-term.

Who paid?

The Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant was fined RUB 30,000 as reported; no damage payment is on record.

Sources

Voices on record: ✓ Company or project✓ Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations— Communities and civil society— Researchers

Company or project

Government and regulators

  1. Siberian River Has Turned Red Before, Satellites Show
    NASA Earth Observatory · 2016-09-15

Press and investigations

  3. Norilsk Nickel admits fault for red river
    The Chemical Engineer · 2016-09-13

Connected cases

Related matters, and cases linked to this one through the same organisations, with the role each played in both.
Terms used on this page

Science and environment

Groundwater
Water held underground in soil and rock, drawn through wells.
Hectare (ha)
A unit of area equal to 10,000 square metres, about 2.5 acres. 100 hectares make one square kilometre.
Tailings and tailings dam
Tailings are the waste left after ore is processed; a tailings dam is the embankment that stores them as wet sludge.
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