DUSHANBE, April 24, Asia-Plus – Deputy Energy and Industries Minister, Mahmadsharif Haqdodov, told journalists in Dushanbe on April 24 that KazInvestMineral, which is the main partner of Kazakhstan Investment Fund, has begun to produce ore at the Adrasman Ore Refinery in northern Tajikistan.
According to him, the Kazakh company intends to have spent some $6 million this year for the reconstruction of the plant. “Over the first three months of the year, they have already used $1.3 million for this purpose,” the deputy minister said.
“This year, KazInvestMineral plans to have processed some 250,000 tons of ore,” Haqdodov said, noting that the produced lead-silver concetrate will be realized on world market.
KazInvestMineral purchsed the Adrasman Ore Refinery in July 2006 for 12 million somonis (equivalent to more than US$3.5 million). The plant was put up for sale for 11 million somonis, because its technology is obsolete and demands urgent replacement.
We will recall that the KazInvestMineral specialists visited Tajikistan last October to present a plan to reconstruct the Adrasman Ore Refinery. After the reconstruction, the capacity of plant will be 650,000 tons of lead ore per year.
According to the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI), in all, KazInvestMineral plans to spend at least 15 million US dollars for the reconstruction of the plant and update its technology and equipment. In
The Adrasman Ore Refinery was established in 1967 and specializes in the production of lead ore and the processing of raw materials for lead-silver concentrate.
