Astana, Kazakhstan, March 19
By Daniyar Mukhtarov - Trend:
Predicted copper resources are estimated at 100 million tons in Kazakhstan, Chairman of the Committee on Geology and Subsoil Use under the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies Bazarbay Nurabayev said on March 18.
"The predicted copper resources are estimated at 100 million tons in Kazakhstan," he said. "They are mainly concentrated in Central, Eastern and Western Kazakhstan."
Nurabayev was speaking about the resource base of non-ferrous metals such as copper, lead, zinc and aluminium and the direction and ways of developing geological exploration for nonferrous metals in Kazakhstan at the meeting.
"Some 25-53 copper deposits were used in 2003-2012," he said. "In total, 5.2 million tons of copper were extracted during this period. Annual copper production ranged from 472,000 tons to 567,000 tons."
"The reserves increased by 3.9 million tons as a result of exploration work carried out in 2003-2012," he added. "The copper reserve growth amounted to 348,000 tons in 2012."
He recalled that the total investment volume in the subsoil use of copper was $7 billion in 2000-2013, of which $161 million was spent on exploration operations.
"During this period, the volume of investments increased more than 31 times," he added. "As of 2013, it amounted to $975 million. Some $13.7 million was spent for exploration which is one percent of the total investment volume in the mineral - raw complex."
He also announced the data results on the predicted zinc and lead reserves in Kazakhstan. As of today, they are estimated at 135 million tons and 58 million tons. Lead and zinc deposits are mainly concentrated in the Eastern, Southern and Western regions of the country.
Some 89 zinc deposits and 95 lead deposits are on the state balance sheet, according to the statement.
"Some 18-32 fields were used in 2003-2012," he said. "In total, 6.2 million tons of zinc and 1.0 million tons of lead were extracted during this period."
"As a result of geological exploration, zinc reserves increased by 1.689 million tons, lead reserves by 915,000 tons," he said. "This helped to compensate only 13.3 percent of the zinc reserves and 49 percent of lead reserves."
"The total volume of investment in subsoil use of polymetals was $8.7 billion in 2000-2013," he said. "Some $129 million was spent on geological exploratory operations," he said. "During this period, the volume of investments increased five-fold."
Kazakhstan has a large resource base of non-ferrous metals, namely, copper, lead, zinc and aluminium.
The copper industry is one of the key industries in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan produced about a third of national output of copper during the USSR period.
Kazakhstan ranks one of the leading countries with lead and zinc reserves in the world.
Translated by NH
Edited by SM