DUSHANBE, February 3, 2013, Asia-Plus — In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, Tajik Minister of Industry and New Technologies Shavkat Boboyev revealed on January 31 that Tajikistan produced 2,674.4 kilograms of gold last year, which is 273.5 kilograms more than in 2012.
According to him, Tajikistan plans to produce 3,000 kilograms of gold this year.
“Zeravshan Gold Company (ZGC) is expected to introduce a new factory with daily capacity of processing 10,000 tons of ore into operation this year,” the minister noted.
Tajikistan’s gold exports reportedly totaled 973.87 kilograms last year, 370.93 kilograms of gold were purchased by the Ministry of Finance, 1,382.25 kilograms were purchased by the National Bank of Tajikistan and 3.12 kilograms were purchased by domestic jewelry factories.
Tajikistan has 28 known gold deposits containing an estimated 429.3 tons of gold. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the largest amount of gold was produced in Tajikistan in 1998 – 3,000 kilograms. Most of gold comes from the Jilau deposit operated by Tajik-Chinese joint venture, Zeravshan Gold Company (ZGC).
Three large gold mining companies now operate in Tajikistan: Tilloi Tojik; Tajik-Chinese JV Zeravshan Gold Company; and Tajik-Canadian JV Aprelevka. Besides, the private gold mining artel, Odina, operates in Khatlon province.
In 2013, ZGC produced 1,694.76 kilograms of gold, Aprelevka – 516.74 kilograms, Tilloi Tojik – 394.90 kilograms, and Odina – 167.62 kilograms.
Tajikistan produced 1,832 kilograms of silver last year, which is 64 kilograms more than in 2012. Practically all volume of silver produced in 2013 was exported and only 22.08 kilograms were purchased by the Ministry of Finance and 92.51 kilograms were purchased by domestic jewelry factories.
