Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 15
By Elena Kosolapova - Trend:
Plant for the production of silicon metal was re-launched in Kazakh city of Karaganda after being idle for two years, Kazakh national management holding Baiterek reported on Oct. 15.
Earlier Baiterek holding attracted Kazakh mining company Tau-Ken Samruk to invest into recovery and restart of the silicon metal production at the plant.
Karaganda silicon plant was stopped in 2012, after two years of work. Tau-Ken Samruk invests 1.4 billion tenge (181.80 tenge =$1) for initial recovery procedures.
"One of two furnaces has been already commissioned at the plant," the holding said. "The new investor plans to commission the second furnace and reach the production capacity of 25,000 metric tons of silicon per year. Over 300 job places will be created at the plant."
The plant will foster the development of related industries in the region. In particular, quartz mining production will be resumed at Aktas field (quartz is the main raw material for the silicon production).
Moreover Kazakhstan Invest Komir company will be able to produce a special coke in Karaganda - another raw material for silicon metal production.
Plant for the production of silicon metal in Karaganda is a modern and efficient enterprise producing at least 98.5 percent pure metal, with the use of German technology.
Silicon is used for production of aluminum, aluminum-silicon alloys, high-purity semiconductor and organic silicon.
The production is export-oriented. The largest silicon consumers are the U.S., Japan and the EU countries.
Silicon plant in Karaganda was build by Silicium Kazakhstan company. The company originally attracted a $165.4 million loan from Kazakhstan Development Bank loans and other financial institutions for this project. However the shareholders who have not complied with the conditions of the contract with the Development Bank of Kazakhstan, stopped production.
To date, the total debt of Silicium Kazakhstan exceeds $230 million. In 2013, Development Bank of Kazakhstan transferred the project to the Investment Fund of Kazakhstan.
Edited by T.T.