“Despite recent challenges, the Kumtor mine continues to generate profit, and the gold reserves in the tailings and other deposits are sufficient for the further development of Kyrgyzstan’s mining industry.” This is the opinion of Duishenbek Kamchybekov, Chairman of the Board of the Association of Miners and Geologists, and Doctor of Technical Sciences.
According to him, the difficulties arose in 2021 due to a crack in block 20.
“This was indeed a critical moment for the country’s mining industry. If the block had ceased operating, the consequences could have been severe, as gold production in the republic depends on the functioning of this deposit. Previously, 93-97 per cent of Kyrgyz citizens worked in the mining industry, and many of these professionals still work in this field. The mine employees noticed the problem with the crack, took the correct measures, and work continued. This allowed the plan to be fulfilled and production to be maintained,” the expert explained.
He stated that Kumtor remains the most important project in Kyrgyzstan’s mining industry. At the start of the project in 1994, it was stated that the Kumtor deposit contained 716 tonnes of gold. Before the departure of the Canadian company Centerra Gold, it had extracted about 400 tonnes of gold, with revenues of approximately $14 billion, of which about 30 per cent was allocated to expenses, wages, and social payments. As of 1 October 2024, a further 72 tonnes of gold have been mined, and the net profit amounted to $174 million.
“Despite initial problems, the project continues to generate significant profit and benefit the country’s economy. We can be proud that the gold mined at Kumtor remains in the Kyrgyz Republic. It is important to note that this project continues to develop and bring benefits to the republic. We are seeing an increase in production volumes and profits, which has a positive impact on the economy,” said Duishenbek Kamchybekov.
For example, as of 1 October this year, 9.5 tonnes of gold have been mined at Kumtor. According to the expert’s forecast, this year’s plan will be fulfilled.
Calculations show that, in addition to current expenditures, Kumtor has sufficient gold reserves for open-pit mining until 2028-2029. However, further development requires additional research. Duishenbek Kamchybekov emphasises that there are approximately 115 tonnes of gold reserves underground. The company has already obtained a licence to mine them.
The Head of the Association also spoke about the tailings. He noted that Kumtor’s tailings undoubtedly have the potential for gold extraction, which could significantly impact the country’s economy.
“Today, the tailings contain about 118 tonnes of gold. Canadian specialists have carried out work, and tenders have been organised for the processing of waste, which has yielded results. However, the process of extracting gold from tailings is a complex task, as gold and cyanide remain in the ore, which are difficult to extract. Today, there are various approaches, including the use of bacteria for processing, but this requires high energy consumption and sophisticated equipment. Perhaps, in the future, a more efficient technology will be developed, which will allow work to continue in this direction,” concluded Duishenbek Kamchybekov.
