MINEX Forum

Tag: Miryildiz Mining

  • Kazakhstan and Turkey Unveil $920 Million Investment Package Spanning Mining, Food Processing and Logistics at Tokayev-Erdoğan Summit

    Kazakhstan and Turkey Unveil $920 Million Investment Package Spanning Mining, Food Processing and Logistics at Tokayev-Erdoğan Summit

    Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan were presented with a package of joint investment projects during the Kazakhstani-Turkish summit in Astana, with five new initiatives expected to attract more than $920 million in investment and create over 3,100 jobs across Kazakhstan.

    The projects span five regions and multiple sectors. In Abai Region, Turkish mining company Miryıldız plans to build a mining and processing plant — an extension of the company’s existing $480 million gold development programme at the Zhanan deposit. In Almaty, İskefe Holding intends to launch gelatin production. In Turkestan Region, Orzax Group will establish a modern facility for the production of dietary supplements. In Aktobe, S Sistem Lojistik is partnering with Kazpost to create a logistics centre at the city’s international airport. In Astana, Tiryaki Holding will build a plant for the deep processing of wheat and peas.

    Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin briefed the two heads of state on the broader trajectory of Turkish investment in Kazakhstan, noting that approximately 100 investment projects involving Turkish companies have already been completed in the country, with a combined value of around $4 billion across various economic sectors. A further 50 joint projects with a total estimated value of approximately $4 billion are currently being implemented, underscoring what Zhumangarin described as a high level of investment interaction between the two countries.

  • Turkey’s Miryıldız Mining Breaks Ground on $480 Million Kazakhstan Gold Project With 750,000-Ounce Deposit at Its Core

    Turkey’s Miryıldız Mining Breaks Ground on $480 Million Kazakhstan Gold Project With 750,000-Ounce Deposit at Its Core

    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.

  • 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.

  • 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.