In the Kazakh city of Karaganda, several ‘grey’ miners have been identified; at one of the enterprises cryptocurrency mining has been halted. This was announced by the governor of Karaganda Region, Zhenis Kasymbek, according to Liter.kz.
According to unofficial data, there are ‘grey’ miners operating on production sites. The gist is this: they process timber, but miners are actually seated there in a part of the building,
«According to our unofficial data, there are ‘grey’ miners operating on production sites. The gist is this: they process timber, but in fact there miners sit there in a part of the building», — said the governor of Karaganda, Ermaganbet Bulekpaev.
He noted the need for ongoing energy audits in cooperation with KEGOC.
In the National Association of Blockchain and Data Center Industry, it clarified that by ‘grey’ miners are meant those who do not declare cryptocurrency mining as a line of business, “hiding mining under another type of production, using contraband equipment, not paying taxes, illegally connected to networks”.
Alan Dordzhiev, the association’s chairman, told ForkLog that in the near future the criteria for legal and illegal miners would be officially codified.
In the Ministry of Energy, they stated that they do not intend to follow China’s lead and ban cryptocurrency mining, nor to restrict legitimate market players.
«As for ‘white’ miners, the question of their disconnection should not arise and will not. It is clear that these are all businessmen who have invested their substantial money, and the state must be a consistent and reliable partner. Once permission is granted, it cannot be withdrawn», — said Energy Minister Magzum Mirzagaliyev.
In September, the Ministry of Energy proposed giving the system operator, whose functions are performed by KEGOC, limit the energy consumption of mining data centers in the event of electricity shortages.
The authorities also proposed to create a registry of mining farms and raise electricity tariffs for cryptocurrency mining, and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered to ensure ‘urgent’ legislative regulation of this activity.
In the National Association of Blockchain and Data-Center Industry stated that, in the near term, the activities of ‘grey’ miners could be suspended, and advised against investing in this ‘for those who want to mine covertly at home or at industrial facilities’.
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