Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, May 11 /Trend H.Hasanov/
Employees of the geological prospecting expedition of Turkmenistan in Koytendag in Garlyk successfully completed work on the discovery of deposits of gypsum and the establishment of its reserves, the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the country said on Friday.
'The new field is an essential base to provide the necessary raw materials for the local cement plant', a statement said.
Drilling operations were conducted from the beginning of the year to a depth of about 5.4 thousand metres.
Search and drilling operations are being conducted in several district of the Lebap region. The objective of the expedition is also to carry out preparatory work in the search for quartz sand for the needs of the cement plant.
Construction of a cement plant with a capacity of one million tons of cement per year is being implemented in the village of Garlyk. The project is being carried out by Turkish company Polimeks Insaat Taahhüt ve San. Tic. A.S.
Under the project, the necessary raw materials for enterprises will be produced in the quarry located close to the plant along with production lines manned by about 800 people.
The Turkish company launched a similar plant west of Turkmenistan near Jebel in the Balkan region in October 2011. Its cost was estimated at 180 million euros.
Construction of socio-economic facilities, roads, infrastructure and livelihood projects are expanding in Turkmenistan. The growing volume of construction work makes it necessary to provide the industry with building materials.
More than 2000 structures worth nearly $48 billion are being built in the country at this stage. There have also been iron and steel works built as well as factory producing marble..