Turkish mining company Miryıldız Mining has announced preparations to develop the Zhanan gold deposit in Kazakhstan’s Abai Region, committing $480 million across construction, site development and exploration as the company consolidates its position as one of the more ambitious new entrants in the country’s mining sector.
Chief executive Emrah Erdem made the announcement at the MINEX Kazakhstan 2026 forum in Astana, confirming that construction of a gold ore production complex at Zhanan is already underway. The deposit, located 100 kilometres from Semey, holds confirmed reserves exceeding 750,000 ounces of gold — equivalent to 23.3 tonnes — across a licence area of 1,030 square kilometres. Once in production, the site is expected to employ between 1,300 and 1,800 people.
The project is currently at the pre-production stage. Geological data on Zhanan was originally compiled during the Soviet era, when gold was previously extracted at the site using heap leaching methods. Miryıldız began its own exploration in 2025, conducting aeromagnetic surveys across the full licence area. Subsequent geophysical work and drilling confirmed the Soviet-era data and returned strong results, providing the foundation for the company’s investment commitment.
Beyond Zhanan, Miryıldız holds four additional exploration projects distributed across Kazakhstan: a 358 square kilometre licence area near Balkhash, 440 kilometres from Almaty; a 172 square kilometre area near Bayanaul, 165 kilometres from Pavlodar; a 77 square kilometre area near Boke-Ayagoz, 175 kilometres from Ust-Kamenogorsk; and a 63 square kilometre area 130 kilometres from Almaty. Seven drilling rigs are currently active across the portfolio, with geophysical survey work ongoing at all sites.
Miryıldız entered Kazakhstan two years ago and currently holds 25 licences — 24 exploration and one production. The company, which ranks among the three largest copper producers in Turkey, is targeting gold, copper, chromium and other metals across its Kazakhstani portfolio.
