DUSHANBE, October 9, 2013, Asia-Plus — The state-owned gold mining company, Tilloi Tojik (Tajik Gold), has concluded a contract with Russia’s Open Joint-Stock Company (OJSC) “Magadan Mechanical Plant” on the supply of the equipment for washing gold-containing sand. A total cost of the contract is 400,000 U.S. dollars.
Ms. Ellina Vakhrameyeva, marketing specialist with OJSC Magadan Mechanical Plant, told Asia-Plus that the equipment had already been shipped to Tajikistan.
According to her, Tajik limited liability company, Guli Murod, has been engaged in purchase and delivery of the equipment. “Guli Murod has concluded a contract with Tilloi Tojik on a joint development of the Yakhsou gold field,” Vakhrameyeva said.
An official source at Tilloi Tojik noted that installation of the equipment would begin soon. “Specialists from OJSC Magadan Mechanical Plant have arrived in Tajikistan for installation of the equipment,” the source added.
We will recall that Tilloi Tojik has begun to develop a new gold deposit in Khatlon province this year.
Tilloi Tojik director Alimurod Elmurodov says they have begun to develop the Sebi Kopa deposit in the Khovaling district. “Currently we are developing two areas at this deposit – Bomavlo and Safed-Dara,” said he.
According to the Main Geology Directorate under the Government of Tajikistan, Sebi Kopa is a placer gold deposit and it has possible gold reserves of two tons. According to expert estimates, one cubic meter of the deposit”s ore contains around 0.7 grams of gold.
Tilloi Tojik was established on the basis of the Darvaz gold mining joint venture, which was established in 1995. Tajikistan owned 51 percent of the shares and the UK-based Gold and Mineral Excavation held a 49% ownership interest in Darvaz. The British company was reportedly pulled out the joint venture in 2000.
Tilloi Tojik produces gold from its alluvial operation at the Yakhsou deposit, located in the Khatlon province in southern Tajikistan. It reportedly has proven reserves of around 25 tons of gold.
Tajikistan reportedly has 28 known gold deposits containing an estimated 429.3 tons of gold.
Three large gold mining companies now operate in Tajikistan: Tilloi Tojik; Tajik-Chinese JV Zeravshan Gold Company (ZGC); and Tajik-Canadian JV Aprelevka. Besides, the private gold mining artel, Odina, operates in Khatlon province.
In 2010, Tajikistan produced 2,050 kilograms of gold, which was 690 kilograms more than in 2009. Tajikistan produced 2,240.10 kilograms of gold in 2011 and more than 2,400 kilograms in 2012. Most of gold comes from the Jilau deposit operated by ZGC.
Over the first six months of this year, Tajikistan has produced 993.89 kilograms of gold (134.64 kilograms more than in the same period last year) and 855.56 kilograms of silver (40 kilograms more than in the same period last year).
