The Tajik-Chinese Mining Company has recently inaugurated a significant expansion of its production capabilities in the Sughd region of Tajikistan, transitioning from raw material smelting to high-purity metal refining. This new operational model, which was officially launched on September 21, 2026, establishes a fully integrated cycle of mining, enrichment, metallurgy, and processing in northern Tajikistan, marking a pivotal shift in the company’s operational strategy.
Originally established in 2017 with a capacity of 50,000 tonnes of crude lead per year, the company has now enhanced its capabilities to produce 30,000 tonnes of electrolytic lead, 50 tonnes of electrolytic silver, and 600 tonnes of copper matte annually. This transition to refined products was facilitated by the commissioning of a matte converter in January 2025, which allowed the project to move from construction to trial production phases. Throughout 2026, the electrolytic lead and silver production lines have entered trial operation, indicating a successful implementation of the new production strategy.
To support the increased output, the company has also upgraded its upstream mining and enrichment operations, scaling production from 4 million to 6 million tonnes per year. The enrichment plant has undergone significant reconstruction, boosting its capacity to 5 million tonnes per year, which enhances ore recovery rates while simultaneously reducing energy consumption per unit of output.
The facility is situated within the Tajik-Chinese Industrial Zone, which spans 690,000 square meters in Istiklol. In addition to the metallurgical expansion, the company is implementing several environmental controls to ensure sustainable operations. These include a closed-loop water circuit for dust suppression and enrichment processes, waste rock sorting to minimize tailings, and the construction of a photovoltaic power plant aimed at reducing reliance on traditional energy sources and promoting renewable energy use.
This expansion marks a significant evolution for the site, which has developed from a 2014 memorandum of cooperation into a fully functional industrial park capable of processing low-grade ores into high-value metals. The advancements not only enhance the company’s production capabilities but also reflect a commitment to environmental sustainability and energy efficiency in the mining sector.
