Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Feb. 8 / Trend, D. Azizov /
Uzbekistan is planning to gradually start development of up to 30 new gold deposits in the next 10-12 years, a source in the government circles told Trend.
According to the source, work on geological exploration, development and production of potential industrial fields in various regions of the country will be intensified from 2013, which will provide excess of gained gold reserves over the used ones.
The agency's interlocutor did not specify the potential fields, their estimated reserves of raw materials and the planned output of gold.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), in 2012 Uzbekistan produced 90 tons of gold compared to 91 tons in 2011, ranking ninth in the world in terms of gold production, according to 2012 year totals, and preserving its position in 2011.
Navoi and Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combines are the main gold producers in Uzbekistan.
Navoi Mining is one of the major gold producers in Central Asia. The main gold-ore base of the enterprise is the Muruntau field (Central Kyzyl Kum), developed since 1967. The plant includes two gold extracting plants - GMZ-2 in Zeravshan and GMZ-3 in Uchkuduk.
The Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine (AMMC) accounts for up to 20 percent of gold produced in the country. Kyzyl Olma and Kochbulak fields in Tashkent region are the AMMC's main gold-ore base.
Reportedly, at present AMMC started building an underground gold mine Samarchuk at the Kyzyl Olma field with capacity of up to 200,000 tons of ore per year.
According State Committee of Uzbekistan on Geology, 41 fields of gold were discovered in the republic, of which nine fields are currently developed.
