MINEX Forum

Tag: Abai Region

  • Turkish Miner Miryıldız Commits $480 Million to Kazakhstan Gold Project as Zhanan Deposit Targets Late 2026 Production Start

    Turkish Miner Miryıldız Commits $480 Million to Kazakhstan Gold Project as Zhanan Deposit Targets Late 2026 Production Start

    Turkish mining company Miryıldız Mining is pressing ahead with a $480 million investment programme in Kazakhstan, centred on the development of the Zhanan gold deposit in Abai Region, with production targeted to begin before the end of 2026 and a potential stock exchange listing to follow, the company’s chief executive Emrah Erdem announced at the MINEX Kazakhstan 2026 forum in Astana.

    The total investment covers construction of an ore processing plant, development of the Zhanan deposit and geological exploration across several additional licence areas. The Zhanan project — located 100 kilometres from the city of Semey — is at the pre-production stage and holds confirmed reserves of more than 750,000 ounces of gold, equivalent to over 23.3 tonnes. The deposit covers 450 licence blocks across approximately 1,030 square kilometres. Infrastructure prerequisites are already in place: the site is connected to electricity and water supply ahead of project launch.

    A field camp of 150 workers — 122 of them Kazakhstani nationals — is currently active at Zhanan. Exploration began in 2025 with a first-phase budget of $18 million across Kazakhstan, of which $17 million has already been deployed. The company has confirmed Soviet-era geological data through its own drilling programme, supported by aerial photography, aeromagnetic surveys and resistivity studies that have returned strong geophysical results.

    Erdem noted that Soviet geologists had previously extracted gold at Zhanan using heap leaching, but at grades of 0.2 to 0.5 grams per tonne — too low to be economically viable at scale. The company’s own drilling has identified higher-grade zones capable of supporting a conventional mining and processing operation. Construction of the mining project is already underway, with a workforce of between 1,300 and 1,800 people expected once gold and copper ore processing is at full capacity.

    Beyond Zhanan, Miryıldız holds a total of 25 licences in Kazakhstan — one production and 24 exploration — spanning interests in gold, copper, chromium and other metals. Its exploration portfolio includes 159 blocks near Balkhash covering 358 square kilometres, 76 blocks near Bayanaul covering 172 square kilometres, 34 blocks near Boke-Ayagoz covering 77 square kilometres, and 28 blocks on the Almaty project covering 63 square kilometres. The company has recently commenced geophysical survey work in Pavlodar and Zhetysu regions.

    Company presentation materials indicate that Miryıldız Mining is considering a listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange or a comparable exchange once production at Zhanan is underway. Erdem cited Kazakhstan’s strong geological potential and straightforward logistics as the primary factors behind the company’s decision to invest. Miryıldız is one of Turkey’s top three copper producers and operates the Gaziantep copper mine with 18 million tonnes of resources at an average grade of 1.7 grams per tonne, alongside a chrome mine and processing plant in Mersin and 137 exploration licences across multiple metals in Turkey. The company also holds five exploration licences covering 2,500 square kilometres in the Central African Republic.

  • Zhana Mys to Launch Six-Year Gold and Copper Exploration at Kara Kabyland Site in Abai Region

    Zhana Mys to Launch Six-Year Gold and Copper Exploration at Kara Kabyland Site in Abai Region

    Kazakhstan-based Zhana Mys LLP plans to begin geological exploration at the Kara Kabyland site in the Abai region, according to its statement of intended activity. The subsoil plot is located in the Ayagoz district, approximately 210 km east of the district centre of Ayagoz and 20 km south of the village of Emeltau.

    The exploration licence, issued by the Ministry of Industry in July 2025, covers 63 blocks with a total area of 145 square kilometres. The study programme is designed for a six-year period.

    Historical Soviet-era geophysical surveys in the area identified the promising Sharyk 1 gold prospect, along with other occurrences of copper, molybdenum, polymetals and gold. The Ayagoz district already hosts smaller gold deposits such as Taskora and Muzbel. Notably, aerial gamma-spectrometric methods were previously applied in the area, simultaneously measuring total radioactivity as well as uranium, thorium and potassium content.

    The exploration programme includes topographic and geodetic surveys, geochemical sampling, and geophysical work such as aeromagnetic surveys, induced polarization (IP-SG) electrical prospecting and profile electrical tomography. Mining and drilling operations will also be conducted to collect samples for laboratory analysis, alongside geological and hydrogeological assessments of potential development conditions.

    A light aircraft with a flight endurance of at least five hours will be used for комплекс aerogeophysical surveying at a scale of 1:20 000, according to the project documentation. Electrical prospecting is specifically aimed at identifying and delineating potential copper-porphyry mineralization zones and assessing their distribution within the licence area.

    Environmental documentation notes the presence of small rodents, lizards and venomous pit vipers in the area, as well as occasional sightings of saiga antelope, argali, hares, badgers, wolves and bustards. Migratory birds such as ducks and waders are observed during seasonal flights. The district is sparsely populated.

    No water bodies are located directly adjacent to the exploration site. The nearest major water body is Lake Balkhash, approximately 130 km away. The project area lies outside designated water protection zones.

    According to media reports, Zhana Mys previously held several licences in the Northern Balkhash region and in 2023 was among subsoil users that returned certain licences. Public records indicate that the company’s founder is Solidcore Eurasia, affiliated with gold mining holding Solidcore Resources, whose shares are listed on the Astana International Financial Centre exchange. Earlier licence registers published in 2023 listed Kanat Dosmukametov, head of Solidcore Eurasia, as the beneficial owner.

  • Turkey’s Miryildiz Mining to Launch Gold and Copper Production in Kazakhstan by 2026

    Turkey’s Miryildiz Mining to Launch Gold and Copper Production in Kazakhstan by 2026

    Turkish mining company Miryildiz Mining plans to begin gold and copper production in Kazakhstan by late 2026, the company’s CEO Emrah Erdem announced at the Kazakhstan Global Investment Roundtable (KGIR).

    “We are engaged in gold and copper mining. Our plants in Turkey have been operating for nearly ten years. I hope that by the end of 2026, we will start gold production in Kazakhstan,” Erdem said.

    According to him, Miryildiz Mining is currently working in cooperation with the Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK), a subsidiary of the Baiterek Holding.

    The company operates in five countries, extracting gold, copper, chromium, and other metals, with Turkey remaining its primary market. It produces around 1 million tonnes of copper ore annually.

    “We have now set targets for copper mining in Kazakhstan,” Erdem said, adding that the company sees strong potential for copper extraction in East Kazakhstan, particularly in the Abai and Pavlodar regions.

    He also highlighted promising opportunities in the gold and rare earth metals sectors, noting Kazakhstan’s untapped mineral wealth.

    $482 Million Mining and Processing Project

    Earlier this year, Miryildiz Mining presented a $482 million project to construct a mining and processing complex (MPC) in the Zhanan-Boko-Zaisan gold ore zone to Abai Region Governor Berik Uali. The facility is expected to employ around 2,000 workers.

    The company has already completed geological exploration and purchased some of the necessary extraction and ore-processing equipment.

    Global Footprint

    Miryildiz Mining holds over 100 exploration and production licenses worldwide and is active in Central African Republic (CAR), Sierra Leone, and The Gambia, where it is also building a gold mining operation.

    In Kazakhstan, its subsidiary MIRYILDIZ KZ Ltd plans to conduct metal exploration at the Takyr site in the Zhetysu and Abai regions between 2025 and 2030.

    Market Context

    The company’s expansion comes amid record-high commodity prices — copper surpassed $11,000 per tonne, and gold exceeded $4,000 per ounce in 2025 — boosting investment in mining and geological exploration across the sector.