Kazakhstan is focusing on metal production with several new industrial projects, according to the Ministry of Industry and Construction. Minister Kanat Sharlapayev outlined the details of these initiatives.
The first project is the Mineral Product International plant, which will produce 160,000 tons of ferrosilicon annually. Additionally, the plant will produce 300,000 tons of direct reduced iron and 1 million tons of steel each year. This metallurgical cluster is currently in the site preparation stage, with construction and installation work underway, including the foundation being laid.
The second project involves the modernization of Qarmet. Under an agreement with an investor, $3.5 billion will be invested by 2028, including $1.3 billion in 2024. By 2030, the goal is to increase steel production to 5 million tons, coal to 9 million tons, and iron ore concentrate to 5 million tons. The modernization aims to reduce emissions by 20% and increase iron concentrate output. A technical audit of the facility began in March and is expected to conclude in July, with a comprehensive modernization plan to follow.
The third project is the construction of a new copper smelting plant, which will produce 300,000 tons of refined copper annually. This project is included in the national industrialization roadmap and is currently undergoing a feasibility study.
The fourth project is the construction of a hot briquetted iron production plant. This project will increase the production of iron ore raw materials from 9.9 million tons to 15.5 million tons per year, enhancing the processing of these materials with high added value. A retail gas supply agreement between the Sokolovsko-Sarbaiskoye Mining and Beneficiation Association and KazTransGas Aimak is in the final stages of signing.
The fifth project is Polymetal’s plan to build a new autoclave facility in Kazakhstan. This hydrometallurgical plant will process gold-containing high-carbon sulfide concentrates, a task previously impossible in the country. Engineering, geological, and geodetic work is currently underway in the Pavlodar Special Economic Zone.
As of April 2024, metal production in Kazakhstan has grown by 5.1%. By the end of the year, steel production is expected to reach 4 million tons, smooth rolled products 2.6 million tons, and pig iron 3 million tons.
