Tashkent, Uzbekistan, April 8
By Demir Azizov- Trend:
Uzbek Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combine (NMMC) will begin to develop Charmitan gold field in the Samarkand region (central part of the country), in the first half of 2014, according to a source in the enterprise.
The project envisages mining and process horizons for 660 meters and 600 meters in the central part of the field in 2014-2016. NMMC will allocate some $ 26 million from its own funds for the implementation of the project.Charmitan is a part of the resource base of the hydrometallurgical plant-4 (HMP-4) in Zarmitan (Samarkand region).
NMMC will invest $112.3 million to increase gold production at HMP-4. The program will help to increase processing capacities by 30% - to 1.8 million tons of ore a year.
Construction of HMP-4 with the cost of $330 million was started in 2007. The project envisages utilization of Charmitan, Gujumsay and Promejutochnoye fields, as well as construction of gold extracting capacities for 10 tons of gold a year.
Currently, the capacity of the complex makes up 1.4 million tons of ore a year. The project is financed due to own resources of NMMC and loans of the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan.
NMMC - one of the largest gold producers in Central Asia. Combine is fully state-owned. The NMMC industrial complex comprises four metallurgical plant - Navoi (MMP-1), Zarafshan (MMP-2), Uchkuduk (MMP-3) and Zarmitane (HMP-4).
The main gold-ore base of the enterprise is the Muruntau field (Central Kyzyl Kum), has developed since 1967.
The production of gold at NMMC was about 70 tons in recent years, while the total production in Uzbekistan was about 90 tons, according to unofficial data.
Translated by S.I.
Edited by C.N.