Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Aug. 31 / Trend D. Azizov /
Uzbek-Korean joint venture "Uz-Kor Silicon" commissioned a silicon production complex in the Navoi region (a central part of the country), a co-founder of joint venture - Uzbek "Navoiazot" said today.
According to the report, a complex producing 39,000 tons of quartz ore and 12,000 tons of silicon (grade 441) annually has been constructed within the project worth $20.5 million.
The project was financed by the founders of the joint venture to the amount of $ 13.9 million and borrowings - $6.6 million.
South Korean Neoplant and Chinese Shaanxi He Yuan Metallurgy Electromechanical Co. Ltd. were main equipment suppliers.
The commissioned enterprise is the first silicon production company in Uzbekistan today.
The Uzbek State Committee for Geology and Mineral Resources and South Korean Neoplant established the joint venture "Uz-Kor Silicon" in September 2008 on an equal footing with the authorized capital of $ 10.4 million to develop quartz and quartzite deposits in Kashkadarya and Samarkand.
"Navoiazot" is the largest chemical enterprise of the Republic. It joined the founders of the joint venture with a 25 per cent in the form of funds allocated for the construction work in late 2011.
The construction of the silicon production complex is the first stage of implementing the polysilicon production project. It is planned to increase silicon production capacity up to 24,000 tons in the second stage in 2012-2013 and to build a plant for polysilicon production with a capacity of 5,000 tons annually in the third stage in 2013-2016.