TARUTINSKOE LLC has announced plans to initiate copper mining operations at the East Tarutinskoe deposit located in the Karabalyk district of Kazakhstan’s Kostanay region. According to documentation released for public hearings, the mining operations will be conducted using open-pit methods, incorporating blasting techniques. The deposit comprises two sections, Northern and Southern, separated by approximately 2 km. The surface area designated for mining at the East Tarutinskoe deposit is 4.76 km², with a mining depth of 112 m. The planned timeline for the project spans from 2027 to 2032, with the preparatory phase set for 2027 and the main mining activities scheduled from 2028 to 2032.
The mining plan indicates that both oxidised and sulphide ores will be extracted to an economically viable depth, based on the reserves approved by the state commission in 2021. The maximum annual production capacity of the quarries is projected at 500,000 tonnes of ore, depending on the lifespan of the mining enterprise and its reserves.
Currently, no work has commenced at the site, and the necessary infrastructure, including transportation, is entirely absent. Given the timelines for land allocation, engineering surveys, and the development of project documentation for construction, the start of mining operations is anticipated for 2028.
The East Tarutinskoe deposit is situated 175 km northwest of Kostanay and 55 km from the district centre of Karabalyk. A railway line runs from north to south near the site, with the nearest railway station, Boskol, located 15 km away. The western boundary of the contract territory is aligned with the state border of the Russian Federation, making the Tarutinskoe deposit a cross-border resource. An intergovernmental agreement was signed regarding its division, with the main Russian section located in the Chelyabinsk region.
Exploration of the ore field began in 1946, with the first reserve estimates made in 1965. The discovery of the East Tarutinskoe ore manifestation was linked to geological re-exploration and general searches for copper porphyry-type ores in the Solenozyersky area in 1988. Between 2005 and 2007, geological re-exploration of the border areas with Russia was conducted, clarifying the geological structure and assessing the prospects of mineralisation.
From 2011 to 2013, TARUTINSKOE LLC undertook comprehensive geological exploration, primarily involving drilling activities. During this period, the Kostanay exploration expedition conducted magnetic and electrical surveys. The results of these studies led to the development of approved evaluation conditions by the State Commission on Mineral Reserves of Kazakhstan (GKZ RK), with estimated reserves of copper, gold, and silver recognised in the author’s version.
In 2019-2020, significant drilling work was performed, alongside hydrogeological and technological studies in collaboration with the VNIICvetmet Institute, resulting in the development of ore processing technology for the deposit. As of early 2021, the balance of copper ore reserves at the East Tarutinskoe deposit was recorded at 2,028,500 tonnes, containing 22,100 tonnes of copper, with an average metal content of 1.09 grams per tonne. Additionally, off-balance reserves reached 9,752,500 tonnes, containing 69,700 tonnes of copper with a content of 0.7 grams per tonne.
The deposit also holds balance reserves of silver at 5.6 tonnes with a content of 2.76 grams per tonne, and gold reserves of 88.5 kg within 227,000 tonnes of ore, averaging 0.39 grams per tonne. Off-balance reserves of these precious metals are reported at 27.4 tonnes and 297.5 kg, with contents of 2.81 and 1.19 grams per tonne, respectively. TARUTINSKOE LLC is owned by KM Kazakh Mining Company, which previously owned the Aktobe Copper Company, formerly associated with the Russian Copper Company.
