Kazakhmys Corporation has announced a significant investment of over 25.2 billion tenge aimed at modernising the Zhezkazgan Copper Smelting Plant, a key metallurgical facility within the group. The investment will be allocated towards capital repairs, technical re-equipment, and the enhancement of production infrastructure, with the overarching goal of ensuring the plant’s sustainable operation, improving industrial safety, and enhancing both technological efficiency and environmental performance.
The comprehensive modernisation programme encompasses major production workshops, energy management systems, infrastructure facilities, and social amenities. A substantial portion of the investment, amounting to 15.9 billion tenge, is dedicated to the capital repair of critical metallurgical equipment. This includes extensive renovations to the second ore-thermal furnace, anode furnaces, and converter blocks, which are expected to bolster the reliability of the technological processes and extend the lifespan of the equipment.
Additionally, 3.6 billion tenge will be invested in upgrading technological equipment. This includes the installation of 234 polymer concrete baths in the copper electrolysis shop, replacement of the power transformer, and the installation of a new bridge crane. The smelting shop will see the replacement of the carousel casting machine, while the heat supply shop will upgrade its turbocharger.
The development of production infrastructure is also a priority, with 4.4 billion tenge earmarked for this purpose. Projects include the capital repair of cooling tower No. 1, roof replacement in the copper electrolysis shop, and restoration of the converter department’s roofing. Concurrently, the renovation of shower facilities in the administrative and domestic complex of the smelting shop is being completed to improve the working conditions for employees.
By the end of the year, Kazakhmys plans to allocate an additional 1.4 billion tenge for the capital repair of equipment in the charge preparation shop and the establishment of a specialised area for the safe maintenance of crane equipment. This comprehensive modernisation effort is part of Kazakhmys’s long-term investment programme aimed at enhancing its metallurgical enterprises, ensuring more reliable production processes, improving equipment efficiency, and creating a safer and more comfortable working environment for its workforce.
