DUSHANBE, July 24, 2014, Asia-Plus — Over the first six months of this year, gold producing companies operating in Tajikistan have produced 1,141.1 kilograms of gold, which is 57.6 kilograms more than in the same period last year, Minister of Industry and New Technologies Shavkat Bobozoda announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 24.
According to him, specialists expect gold producing companies operating in Tajikistan to produce 3,000 tons of gold this year.
Tajik-Chinese joint venture, Zeravshan Gold Company (ZGC), has produced 771 kilograms of gold over the same six-month period, which is 60 percent of the overall volume of gold produced in the country over the report period, the minister said.
Tajikistan reportedly 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.
Three large gold mining companies now operate in Tajikistan: Tilloi Tojik; Tajik-Chinese JV Zeravshan Gold Company; and Tajik-Canadian JV Aprelevka. Most of gold comes from the Jilau deposit operated by Tajik-Chinese joint venture, Zeravshan Gold Company.
In January-June this year, Tajikistan has produced 943.6 kilograms of silver, which was 43.2 kilograms more than in the same period last year.
Over the report period investments in Tajikistan’s mining industry have reportedly totaled 405.5 million somoni (equivalent to 82.2 million U.S. dollars), including 56 million U.S. dollars invested in the Zeravshan Gold Company.
Last year, gold producing companies operating in Tajikistan produced 2,674.4 kilograms of gold, which was 273.5 kilograms more than in 2012.
