BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 19. The first production complex at the Zhalpak uranium mine in Kazakhstan's Turkestan region has been commissioned, the press service of the country's Agency for Atomic Energy reported.
According to the Atomic Agency, the first production complex was launched at Mining Enterprise Ortalyk LLP, becoming the company's second production asset.
''The facility has an annual production capacity of 500 tons of uranium. The project envisages the phased development of production infrastructure, with the surface processing complex eventually reaching its designed capacity of 900 tons of uranium per year,'' the Atomic Agency noted.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Deputy Chairman of Kazakhstan's Agency for Atomic Energy Gumar Sergazin noted that the development of uranium mining enterprises and the systematic development of new deposits are important for strengthening the country's mineral resource base.
''I am confident that the new stage of development of the Zhalpak mine will increase the production capacity of the enterprise and contribute to the development of Kazakhstan's nuclear industry,'' Gumar Sergazin said.
According to Ortalyk, the Zhalpak deposit is located in the Sozak district of Kazakhstan's Turkestan region, 85 km north of the Uvanas deposit and 50 km east of the Mynkuduk deposit, with the deposits connected by unpaved roads. The deposit borders undeveloped land, while its geological allotment covers an area of 145.8 square kilometers.
The nearest settlement, Kyzemsek village, is located 75-80 km southwest of the deposit, while the Taikonur settlement is approximately 80 km southeast. The deposit is located about 360 km from Kyzylorda, 400 km from Turkestan and 470 km from Shymkent.
