Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 29
By Rashid Shirinov – Trend:
Construction of Shalkiya mining and processing plant In Zhanakorgan district of Kazakhstan’s Kyzylorda region has begun, Kazakh media reported.
The project was launched by the Governor of the region Krymbek Kusherbayev and Deputy Chairman of the Board of the National Welfare Fund Samruk-Kazyna Alik Aidarbayev. The plant will produce high-quality zinc and lead concentrates.
The confirmed balance reserves of the Shalkiya lead and zinc deposit are estimated at 112.9 million tons of ore, which suggests the possibility of ore extraction and beneficiation until 2051. In terms of zinc reserves, the deposit is one of the five largest explored deposits in the world.
General Director of ShalkiyaZinc JSC Askar Dzhaukenov said that the commissioning of the first phase of the complex with a capacity of 2 million tons is planned for October 2020, and the launch of the second phase with a capacity of 4 million tons is scheduled for November 2021.
The project to develop the Shalkiya deposit is one of the three anchor projects included in the roadmap for the development of mining and metallurgical complex of Kyzylorda region. The project worth $651 million is being implemented with the support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.