Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Feb. 10
By Huseyn Hasanov– Trend:
Turkmenistan has significant iodine and bromine reserves in the Guyular and Boyadag fields in the Balkan province of the country, the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper reported Feb. 10.
The country plans to build additional capacities on the basis of the Balkanabat iodine and Khazar chemical plants, thanks to which the annual capacity of the first plant will amount to 250 tons of iodine and 2,400 tons of bromine, while the annual capacity of the second plant will be 300 tons of iodine and 4,500 tons of bromine a year.
“The iodine production plant of the Turkmendermansenagat Association of the Health and Medical Industry Ministry of Turkmenistan located in Bereket city is engaged in the manufacture of products that are in demand in Turkmenistan and abroad,” the report said.
The plant’s design capacity is 250 million iodine sticks, 50 million iodine pencils, 500,000 dental tampons a year.
The plant manufactures 11 types of high-quality, environmentally friendly and competitive products. The use of local raw materials in the manufacture process significantly reduces the cost of products.
Production of technical iodine is expected to grow 2.3 times in Turkmenistan over the next seven years, and the export volume of this product is expected to exceed 1,000 tons in 2024.
Turkmenistan ranks fourth in the world for iodine reserves and fifth for iodine production in the world.
One of the country's biggest companies is the Khazar Chemical Plant in the Balkan province. The plant operates by using local raw materials, namely, underground iodine-containing natural waters, extracted during oil and gas production.
The plant mainly produces two kinds of technical iodine differing in consistency and degree of purification, as well as iodine derivatives - potassium iodide and potassium iodate.
The production of potassium iodide used in livestock breeding was established on the basis of the existing line of potassium iodide.
The Khazar Chemical Plant will be reconstructed soon. The units with an annual capacity of 300-350 tons of granulated iodine and 4,500-5,500 tons of bromine and bromine-containing products will be built here to increase the volume of products.
Turkmenistan is actively expanding the range of iodine derivatives with high added value.