Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Oct. 4 /Trend, D. Azizov/
Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex (AMMC, Almalyk city, Tashkent oblast) has commissioned Uzun site of Kochbulak mine ahead of schedule, the Complex' representative told Trend on Friday.
According to the agency's interlocutor, within the framework of the project a modern transformer substation worth $9.5 million was built and the necessary equipments were purchased. These equipments include Caterpillar excavator, CHETRA-250 bulldozer, Dressta autoloader - 534, electric locomotives, SBU-100 drilling rigs and four various brands compressors to them, loader machines, electrical and ventilation equipments, and equipments for pumping station.
The project was financed with AMMC's own funds. The site's productivity will be 40,000 tons of ore per year, some 25,000 tons of which will account for underground works, 15,000 tons - for open mountain mining works. The term of site's existence with the development and decay of mountain mining works is six years.
According to AMMC, commissioning of new sites for development will allow to compensate Kochbulak field's retired capacities and support gold production at current levels in the next six years.
It was previously reported that, in 2003 the AMMC was named the winner of the tender for the development of Kyzyl Olma and Kochbulak gold deposits, with the general forecasted gold reserves of 300 tons. The project involved the renovation of the construction of the existing mines at these fields.
In 2007, AMMC completed the reconstruction of the existing ores at the Kyzyl Olma and Kochbulak fields in Tashkent oblast with a total value of $49.4 million. The project was financed with AMMC's own funds.
AMMC plans to intensify its work on opening up new horizons for operating mines, building new capacities, as well as to reconstruct the Angren gold recovery plant in 2011-2015.
This is carried out in line with the gold production modernization program, adopted to maintain the capacities of the enterprise at the current level, as well as compensate the enterprise's ore base that retires during its operation process.
Currently, AMMC also conducts construction of Samarchuk underground gold mine on the basis of the existing Kyzyl Olma ore with capacity up to 200,000 tonnes per year, located in the Tashkent oblast and worth $ 78.1 million.
AMMC is also constructing a new Kairagach underground mine based on the field of the same name which has the capacity up to 80,000 tons of ore per year, and worth $48.4 million.