DUSHANBE, July 30, 2013, Asia-Plus — If Tajikistan and a consortium led by Glencore International plc’s Kazzinc fail to arrive at a common view on terms of development of Tajikistan’s largest silver deposit, Konimansuri Kalon (Big Konimansur), the Tajik side may announce another tender to choose contactor for development of this silver deposit.
Kazzinc is a Kazakhstani mining company founded in 1997, when a majority stake was privatized to Swiss commodity trader Glencore. It has 6 mines and several smelters, and produces zinc, lead and copper, and also has interests in gold and silver mining.
Speaking at a news conference in Dushanbe, Shuhrat Rahmatboyev, the first deputy head of the State Committee on Investments and State-owned Property Management noted on July 30 that the tender for development of the Konimansuri Kalon deposit has been going on for already four years and the sides have not yet arrived in at the common view.
According to him, the bids submitted by the consortium are unacceptable for the Tajik Government. “This issue is currently being considered at the level of government commission and we must arrive in the common view on this issue in the near future,” Rahmatoboyev noted.
The tender for development of the Konimansuri Kalon deposit was announced in November 2009 and on March 2, 2010, the government approved the short list and four companies, namely the Anglo-Australian mining company, BHP Billion, which is a leading global natural resources company, Ziti Mining, which is one of the largest Chinese gold producers, Sichuan Group Ltd (JNMC), which is largest Chinese nickel and cobalt producer, and a consortium that groups Kazzinc (Kazakhstan), Glencore International (Switzerland), Konimansur (Kazakhstan) and ore refinery Adrasman (Tajikistan) were on the list, but Ziti Mining and Sichuan Group Ltd (JNMC) later pulled out of the tender.
In July 2012, BHP Billion also informed the tender commission that it is withdrawing its bid to develop the Konimansuri Kalon deposit. This has left only one bidder, a consortium led by Kazakhstan”s Kazzinc which includes Kazzinc”s parent company Glencore International, as well as Konimansur and Adrasman.
We will recall that the Main Geology Directorate head Azim Ibrohim told reporters on January 11, 2011 that a new survey conducted by specialists from Micon International Limited (Micon Int) at the Konimansuri Kalon deposit has raised its possible silver reserves to some 70,000 tons. The previous possible silver reserves of the Konimansuri Kalon deposit had been estimated at some 57,000 tons.
The Konimansuri Kalon in Asht district, Sughd province is estimated to contain around 1 billion tons of ore and according to expert estimates, one ton of the deposit”s ore contained around 49 grams of silver, with 0.38 percent zinc and 0.49 percent lead.
The Konimansuri Kalon silver deposit project is expected to generate significant benefits for the country and help strengthen Tajikistan’s fiscal resources. The project is a key part of the government’s strategy to attract private investment and introduce best practices in procurement. Although Tajikistan has rich deposits of minerals, its remote geographic location and low levels of foreign investment have impeded the development of the mining sector.
