DUSHANBE, July 24, 2015, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan has reportedly increased aluminum production.
In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, Tajik Minister of Industry and New Technologies Shavkat Bobozoda noted on July 23 that the Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO) has produced about 72,000 tons of primary aluminum over the first six months of this year, which was almost 3.5 percent more than in the same period last year.
“In January-June 2014, Tajik produced just little more than 70,000 tons of primary aluminum,” the minister said, noting that TALCO plans to produce 165,000 tons of primary aluminum this year.
In 2014, Tajikistan reportedly produced about 125,000 tons of primary aluminum.
According to the Customs Service under the Government of Tajikistan, has exported 61,200 tons of primary aluminum over the first six months of this year, which was 3.6 percent more than in the same period last year.
In January-June 2014, Tajikistan exported 60,000 tons primary aluminum.
The Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO) is one of the ten largest aluminum smelters in the world and provides up to 70% of the country’s foreign currency earnings, consuming 40% of the country’s electrical power. TALCO is wholly owned by the Tajik government. Tajikistan does not mine alumina but imports the raw material through tolling arrangements.
Construction of the Tajik aluminum plant (TadAZ) began in 1972, and the first pouring of aluminum took place on March 31, 1975. On April 3, 2007, TadAZ was officially renamed to TALCO – Tajik Aluminum Company.
