DUSHANBE, July 4, Asia-Plus — The Tajik Government intends to hold an international tender for development of the Big Konimansour silver deposit in the Sughd province before the end of the year, according to the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI).
The source at a MoEI said that their specialists are currently working on a concept of holding of the tender. In parallel, the work on estimating the deposit is going on, according to the source.
“According the preliminary data, world’s largest mining companies are expected to participate in the tender,” said the source, “A special commission has been set up to consider bids, and preference will be given to the company that will offer the most optimal variant of development of the Big Konimansour deposit.”
The source further added that it cannot be ruled out that Russia”s Norilsk Nickel will participate in the tender.
We will recall that the world’s top nickel producer Norilsk Nickel eyes the big Tajik silver deposit. Norilsk Nickel announced its intention to develop the Big Konimansour deposit in November 2006 already.
The Big Konimansour in northern Tajikistan is estimated around 1 billion tons of ore. According to the MoEI, prospecting survey was conducted at the Konimansour deposit in the Soviet time already, and it has possible silver reserves of more than 50,000 tons. According to experts, development of the Big Konimansour deposit will come to some 2 billion US dollars. Specialists say one ton of the deposit’s ore contains some 40-50 grams of silver, with 0.38 percent zinc and 0.49 percent lead.
Mining has not been actually started yet at the Big Konimansour deposit. Currently, the major quantity of silver is mined by Adrasman plant. Previously this venture produced up to 35 tons of silver annually, however currently the production volume has essentially dropped.
Reuters in November 22006 cited Norilsk Nickel deputy CEO Maxim Finsky as saying, “In our view, the deposit is in a category of unique and big world-class assets which conform to our strategy of developing and widening our base of minerals and ores both in Russia and abroad.” He declined to give a figure for the investment needed on the deposit, which needs further research and survey work, nor a date when production might start, although Norilsk estimates the plant could process 30 million tons of ore a year, Reuters said.
There are also Small and Eastern Konimansour deposits in the Sughd province. Kazakhstan’s company is currently developing these deposits.
