MINEX Forum

Tag: metallurgical industry

  • Zijin Mining Group Discusses Major Mining Projects in Kazakhstan

    Zijin Mining Group Discusses Major Mining Projects in Kazakhstan

    Zijin Mining Group Co., Ltd recently held discussions with Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister and representatives from Kazakh Invest regarding potential projects in the mining and metallurgical industry. The foreign investor plans to open a processing plant in the republic, according to a report from the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    The new facility is expected to produce concentrates of precious and non-ferrous metals. However, this project is likely to be a long-term endeavor, as Zijin Mining is still in the process of identifying a suitable mineral resource basefor the plant.

    The company has expressed its readiness to develop Kazakhstan’s gold, copper, and polymetallic deposits. The specific region for the project has yet to be determined.

    The concentrates produced by the new processing plant are intended to be sent to local metallurgical plants for the extraction of valuable metals. An initial investment of $100 million is planned for the project, which is expected to create at least 1,000 new jobs in the republic.

    Additionally, Zijin Mining plans to engage in geological exploration of new prospective areas. The Kazakh authorities, keen on expanding the country’s mineral resource base, are prepared to offer state-level support to their Chinese partner.

    Zijin Mining is a multinational mining conglomerate that operates over 30 projects in 12 countries. Last year, the company’s assets produced 720,000 tons of copper and 250 tons of refined gold.

  • Kazakhstan’s Colorful Metallurgical Industry Set for Expansion

    Kazakhstan’s Colorful Metallurgical Industry Set for Expansion

    Kazakhstan’s metallurgical sector anticipates the implementation of eight projects worth 169 billion tenge this year, involving the production of aluminum radiators, cathode copper, Dore alloys, and other products. These initiatives, upon full realization, are projected to create around 2000 job opportunities, as reported by the Project Implementation Monitoring and Analysis Directorate, QazIndustry.

    “When all eight projects reach their designed capacity, production volumes will amount to about 136 billion tenge, including plans to export products worth 71 billion tenge,” the statement reads.

    Currently, the metallurgical industry hosts 49 projects at various stages of implementation, including eight slated for 2024, with a total investment of 1.8 trillion tenge. The commencement of these productions is expected to provide employment to over 11,000 citizens, with approximately 7400 residing in rural areas and 377 in monotowns.

    Upon reaching full capacity, the projected production volume of all 49 projects will reach around 2.3 trillion tenge. Notably, over half of this amount, approximately 1.4 trillion tenge, is earmarked for export.

    In the previous year, the metallurgical sector saw the realization of five projects worth 26.8 billion tenge, resulting in the creation of 835 job opportunities. These projects encompassed the production of alloys of non-ferrous metals, Dore alloys, zinc products, among others.

    Kazakhstan’s metallurgical industry stands as one of the largest and leading sectors of the domestic economy, buoyed by a sufficient reserve of raw materials, including copper, zinc, nickel, lead, aluminum, gold, and silver ores.

    The majority of ongoing projects are concentrated in the Karaganda region and the city of Shymkent.

  • Plans in the metallurgical industry presented to Uzbek President

    Plans in the metallurgical industry presented to Uzbek President

    On 1 February, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with a presentation on measures to develop metallurgical enterprises.

    The Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company, the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Company, the Uzbek Metallurgical Company, and the state enterprise Navoiuran are essential to the country’s economy. In recent years, US$7 billion 400 million has been invested in these four enterprises. As a result, gold production increased by 23 percent, copper by 41 percent, and silver by 60 percent. At the Navoi plant, 4 new fields have been developed, and 3 plants have been put into operation. Production also increased at Uzmetkombinat and Navoiuran.

    In general, over the past 6 years, the share of these enterprises in the total industry has increased from 10 to 17 percent, and in budget revenues, it has risen from 11 to 25 percent.

    As is known, Uzbekistan has set itself the goal of doubling its economy by 2030. At the same time, growing competition in the world poses new challenges. In this regard, the issue of increasing the efficiency of these large companies is becoming increasingly important.

    At the presentation, the responsible persons outlined plans to increase production and attract investment into the industry.

    The Head of state noted the need to transform plants with the involvement of foreign experts, paying particular attention to the introduction of digital solutions and green technologies. Specific instructions were given for attracting investments and the acceleration of new projects.

    Tasks have been set to optimize operating costs and energy consumption and reduce costs. The importance of increasing labor productivity at plants and introducing performance indicators (KPIs) into the activities of managers and specialists was noted.

  • Polish infrastructure too cramped for Ukrainian business – Metinvest commercial director

    Polish infrastructure too cramped for Ukrainian business – Metinvest commercial director

    The Polish infrastructure is too small for Ukrainian business and cannot replace the blocking of ports in the Black Sea by the aggressor, Dmytro Nikolayenko, commercial director of Metinvest, said in an interview with the Polish business publication WNP.PL.

    The commercial director of the company noted that the metallurgical and mining industry of Ukraine was previously export-oriented: the country exported 80% of metal products and iron ore raw materials. All logistical routes, including the railroad and ports, could handle it.

    At the same time, he recalled that Metinvest’s business has an international dimension. As an international mining and metallurgical group, the company has production facilities not only in Ukraine, but also in Bulgaria, Italy, the UK and the USA, has an extensive sales and distribution network – its products are sold in 95 countries. In addition, Metinvest has 20 offices around the world.

    “We exported products mainly through the Black Sea ports, such as Pivdenny, which is able to receive the largest capesize class merchant ships, as well as through the ports of Odesa and Mykolaiv. We sent cargo around the world from the Mariupol metallurgical plants Azovstal and Illich Steel Mill. Particularly noteworthy is the sea line from Mariupol to Italy, where our goods were shipped to the rolling mill. Container ships regularly transported slabs (semi-finished metal products) to Italy and the UK. We also sent products from Ukrainian rolling mills to our plant in Bulgaria. It was transported along the Dnipro River, and then along the Black Sea to the Bulgarian port of Burgas,” the top manager explained.

    He noted that the logistics component was well organized in the group, customers were provided with good service in terms of predictable delivery times. The company hired a number of vessels under various forms of charter contracts, such as bareboat (a vessel without a crew) and time charter (a vessel hired with a crew).

    However, the full-scale war directly affected the group and its vertical integration. Metinvest was forced to stop production in Mariupol, then operational control over the Mariupol enterprises was completely lost.