Kazakhstan - October 2023

At least 46 miners died in a botched safety test at a coal mine owned by international conglomerate ArcelorMittal in Karaganda, Kazakhstan on 28 October, leading the Kazakh government to finalize the nationalization of the scandal-ridden enterprise. More than 100 official deaths and constant accusations of disregard for worker safety and environmental degradation at ArcelorMittal facilities have been recorded over the past 15 years, with observers saying Kazakh authorities feared pressing the company would lead to the sorts of costly and drawn-out international lawsuits the country is engaged in over similar harms in its oil industry.

Sources: Eurasianet, Bloomberg News, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty