Weir Minerals has won a £4.4 million process equipment supply order for the Bozshakol copper mine sulphide plant in northern Kazakhstan, which will access one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-ore deposits. The project is being developed by Kazakhmys, the London-headquartered mining company, and is expected to output an average of 75,000 t/y of copper concentrate across its 40-year lifespan, with production scheduled to begin in 2015. The order will be delivered by Weir Minerals Europe, assisted by the projects team of Weir Minerals Australia.

As well as a wide range of process pumps and tailings pumps, the order includes Warman 650 MCR pump units – the largest mill-circuit pumps ever to be sold on the European market at 11.5 ft in diameter – along with a complete replacement wet-end assembly. Bozshakol is Kazakhstan’s biggest single-mine development both in value and volume terms, costing an estimated £1.3 billion and employing 1,500 people. Carola Schulz, Sales & Marketing Director at Weir Minerals Europe, said: “Bozshakol is a landmark project not only for Kazakhstan but globally, being one of the largest deposits of copper ore to have been left untapped. It is also a significant project for Weir Minerals, demonstrating our ability to deploy the specialist capabilities of our companies around the world to meet the needs of mining operations of any shape, size or location.”