Ulytau Gold Processing has presented revised project documentation for the Ashiktas gold deposit in Ulytau Region at public hearings this week, with the update driven by the expiry of the current environmental permit defining the operation’s environmental impact.
The revised project envisages reduced harmful emissions and the construction of a dedicated storage area with a waterproof liner for temporary stockpiling of spent ore for up to one year, with the accumulated technological mineral waste subsequently intended for reintroduction into the processing cycle.
The Ashiktas processing complex was commissioned in late 2024 as a full-cycle heap leach operation producing Doré alloy. Despite the environmental documentation update, the project’s designed capacity remains unchanged: the complex is planned to process up to 1.5 million tonnes of ore per year and produce more than 1,700 kilograms of gold annually. Recoverable reserves at the deposit stand at approximately 6 tonnes of gold at an average grade of up to 1,600 grams per tonne, with full depletion expected over a nine-year mine life through to 2035.
The company’s 2025 financial statements were not available in the depository database at time of reporting.
