Tag Archives: Uzbekistan

Almalyk MMC

Metso and Almalyk MMC sign technology agreement for new copper smelter

Base metals, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , ,

Metso and JSC Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical company (Almalyk MMC) have signed a frame agreement on significant process technology deliveries for Almalyk MMC’s new copper smelter investment in Uzbekistan.

The companies have collaborated on the development of minerals processing and metallurgical operations since 2011, Metso says.

Equipment package contracts under the framework agreement will be booked once they have been signed and become effective. Metso says it estimates that the majority of those contracts will be signed this year. The frame agreement is a continuation of Metso’s and Almalyk MMC’s contract signed at the end of 2022 for the design and basic engineering work for the copper smelter.

The planned production capacity of the new copper smelter, which will be integrated with the company’s existing operations in Almalyk, is 300,000 t/y of copper cathodes and 1.8 Mt/y of sulphuric acid.

“We are very pleased to be selected as the strategic partner for Almalyk MMC’s smelter project,” Piia Karhu, President of Metso’s Metals business area, said. “Metso will provide Almalyk MMC with the most advanced sustainable Planet Positive technology for their copper refining processes.”

Almalyk MMC is the main copper producer in Uzbekistan. The company produces refined copper, gold, silver, zinc, molybdenum, lead concentrate and other products.

Metso Outotec to deliver two sulphuric acid plants to Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Company

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Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Company (AMMC) has awarded Metso Outotec an order worth €70 million ($74 million) for the delivery of two sulphuric acid plants to be built for its zinc roasting facility in Almalyk, Uzbekistan.

Metso Outotec’s scope of delivery includes the design and delivery of Planet Positive equipment for two gas cleaning and sulphuric acid plants, which will process all off-gases from the zinc roasters into industrial-grade sulphuric acid, Metso Outotec says. In addition, Metso Outotec will deliver utility facilities, such as a common cooling tower system and a common air compressor system.

The two plants to be delivered by Metso Outotec will be identical and replace AMMC’s existing facilities for gas cleaning and sulphuric acid production, it said. The plants will improve operational efficiency and reliability and significantly reduce the facilities’ environmental impact, the company added, with the plants expected to be operational by the end of the second half of 2025.

Hannes Storch, Vice President, Metal and Chemical Processing at Metso Outotec, said: “We are extremely pleased that Almalyk has again selected us as the partner for providing gas cleaning and sulphuric acid technology. Metso Outotec’s advanced Planet Positive gas cleaning and sulphuric acid plant solution will improve the environmental performance of AMMC’s metallurgical operations.”

Wood set to engineer world’s largest copper concentrator in Uzbekistan

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Wood, the global consulting and engineering company, has secured two new contracts from Enter Engineering with a combined value of over $200 million, to deliver major capital investment projects in Uzbekistan.

The first will see Wood’s Projects business deliver the full engineering scope, including front-end engineering design (FEED) and detailed design for a world-class mineral processing plant. The MOF-3 copper-concentration complex, in the city of Almalyk, will also require Wood’s technical assistance during the procurement, construction, commissioning and start-up stages to deliver the world’s largest copper concentrator, Wood says.

Back in June, Metso Outotec announced it had signed a contract to deliver key process technology to the MOF3 copper-gold-molybdenum concentrator complex, owned by Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Company.

Wood will also provide detailed engineering and procurement assistance services to build a new methanol-to-olefin-based gas-chemical complex, located in the Bukhara region.

Giuseppe Zuccaro, President of Process & Chemicals at Wood, said: “These projects mark a significant and strategic investment in Uzbekistan as the country accelerates its economic diversification plan, satisfying the needs of its domestic industries while also meeting the world’s surging demand for special petrochemical products and energy transition materials.

“Our extensive experience in delivering complex mining and petrochemical projects of scale and our proven ability to operate a global execution model continue to position us as the ideal technical partner. We’re delighted to build on our strong relationship with Enter Engineering and look forward to working closely to achieve the full value of the investment in these world-class projects.”

At peak, the MOF-3 and MTO projects will each require the support of over 400 colleagues from across Wood offices, including Chennai, Johannesburg, Madrid, Milan, Santiago, Singapore and Woking, in addition to Wood’s newly established office in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Enter Engineering, thyssenkrupp to tackle Tebinbulak iron ore deposit in Uzbekistan

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Enter Engineering and thyssenkrupp AG have signed an Agreement of Intent that could see the engineering procurement and construction (EPC) contractor take the exclusive role as construction partner in building an integrated mining metallurgical complex at the Tebinbulak iron ore deposit in Uzbekistan.

The pact, worth €50 million ($58 million), comes on top of a signed agreement for the start of preparatory work on the project, including a contract for the supply of equipment, its design, supervision during installation and commissioning at the facility.

The high pressure grinding roll (HPGR) technology will be used to help process up to 60 Mt/y of iron ore, according to the EPC firm.

The implementation period for Enter Engineering’s construction role is two years with the plant launch anticipated for September 2023.

Bakhtiyor Fazylov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Enter Engineering, said: “We are delighted to partner with a leading global company such as thyssenkrupp. Applying German standards, we will create a high-quality raw material base for the domestic metallurgical industry. This project also embodies all the goals Enter Engineering strives for: protecting Uzbekistan’s national interests in the international market, supporting the interests of domestic consumers and creating jobs.”

Reza Poorvash, CEO thyssenkrupp Mining Technologies Europe and Asia, said: “To date, more than 140 units of HPGR equipment have been sold in the mining industry. In the CIS countries, thyssenkrupp takes a leading position among mining companies that use this technology, in practice confirming the high quality and reliability of the German brand.”

Roman Karl, Managing Director thyssenkrupp Mining Technologies CIS, added: “We are delighted to partner with such a well-known company in Uzbekistan as Enter Engineering, who have a long track record of successful execution in major engineering construction projects.

“The project will use one of the most energy efficient and innovative technologies to significantly reduce energy consumption. HPGR has been used since 1985 in the cement industry, and since 1986 in the mining industry for use in the grinding process to ensure a high level of product fineness. Full integration of this technology within Industry 4.0 is also important.”

The Tebinbulak complex is significant for Uzbekistan because of its multiplier effect. As well as creating new jobs in remote areas, it will help develop domestic iron ore to provide the country’s existing metallurgical complexes with raw materials. It will also support development of infrastructure, creation of service enterprises and an increase in trade between countries.

Tebinbulak is located in the Karauzyak district of Karakalpakstan, in the north-west part of Uzbekistan. The field covers 5.2 sq.km and comes with a predicted mine life of 27 years.

Cooperation between Enter Engineering and thyssenkrupp is supported at a high inter-governmental level, with the agreement signing ceremony attended by Alisher Sultanov, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Energy.

Robit top hammer and DTH consumables to go to Uzbekistan’s NMMC

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Robit says it has signed a contract with its partner to supply drilling consumables to several mine sites in Uzbekistan, including those operated by state-owned Navoi Mining and Metallurgy Combinat (NMMC).

The Robit Top Hammer and Down the Hole drilling consumables will be delivered during 2020 in several shipments, according to the company. The news follows a recent contract award to supply drilling tools to Norilsk Nickel, in Norilsk, Russia.

The consumables will be used among others by NMMC in its underground and surface mines in the Navoi and Samarkand regions of Uzbekistan.

NMMC’s underground operations include Zarmitan, Gujumsay as well as Karakutan. Its notable open-pit mines include Muruntau (one of the largest open pit gold mines in the world, pictured), Uchkuduk and Amantai. It is a significant gold and uranium miner in Uzbekistan.

Tenova TAKRAF proves dry stack tailings credentials at Uzbekistan gold mine

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Tenova TAKRAF says it recently installed three DELKOR overhead filter presses at a gold mine’s processing plant in Uzbekistan as part of its wider tailings dewatering system.

The system comprises three DELKOR overhead filter presses each processing around 120 m3/h of gold tailings. Each machine contains 177 mixed membrane filter plates with a size of 2 m x 2 m, and includes a high-pressure cloth washing system.

These filter presses form an important part of Tenova TAKRAF’s complete Dry Stack Tailings (DST) technologies solution, which covers processes from sedimentation to filtration and material handling, the company said.

The supply also included several pieces of ancillary equipment, including belt conveyors for cakes discharged from the filter press (each machine is equipped with a cake breaker), pumping skids for membrane inflation, filter cake washing pumps and high-pressure cloth washing pumps.

“The entire scope of supply, including the slurry feed pumps, is fully controlled and managed by state-of-the-art software,” the company said.

It added: “The complexity of the dewatering process required by this project clearly highlights DELKOR’s filter press potential across the dewatering spectrum. In fact, the filter press cycle includes filter cake squeezing, filter cake washing and filter cake air blowing, with the filter cakes washed with process water in order to remove unwanted residual cyanides from the dewatered cakes.

“Importantly, the required residual moisture content within the dewatered cakes was achieved immediately during start-up.”

Marco Zeni, Tenova DELKOR Project Manager, said: “Notwithstanding demanding site conditions, installation and commissioning, together with the required operational training, was successfully completed. With this project, we take another important step towards firmly establishing DELKOR also as a provider of filter presses to round up the filtration product portfolio and once again demonstrating that: it pays to talk to a specialist.”

thyssenkrupp to help build new Uzbekistan chemical complex, Ferkensco says

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A new chemical complex aimed at increasing the production of fertilisers in Uzbekistan is to be built, with help from thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions, lead investor Ferkensco Management Ltd reports.

The construction of the new facility is in line with the Presidential Decree of April 3, 2019 on reforms in the chemical industry and making it more attractive for foreign investment, and The Presidential Decree of February 1, 2019 on the development of cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and Germany, according to Ferkensco.

It is expected that the new complex will be built in the Samarkand region (pictured), on territory owned by JSC Samarkandkimyo, and that potential output at the complex will include ammonium sulphate, urea, melamine and phosphorous-based fertilisers, with the output to be used domestically, but with the option for increased exports.

“The Presidential Initiatives support increased synergies between the oil and gas and agriculture sectors, and the use of a specific quality of domestic gas for fertiliser production,” Ferkensco said, adding: “The petrochemical industry and fertilisers have an important role to play in growing Uzbekistan’s economy in the upcoming years.”

IFG gets hands on tungsten metal cluster in Uzbekistan

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IFG Metals & Mining has built on its existing relationship with Uzbekistan’s geology and mineral resources committee and signed an agreement giving it exclusive rights to carry out feasibility studies and, if proven successful, exploit seven tungsten deposits in Uzbekistan.

The aim of the $300 million long-term investment is to create a cluster for tungsten production and processing, according to IFG, a division of Central Asia focused advisory and investment company IFG Capital Partners.

Back in July, IFG and the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Geology and Mineral Resources (Goscomgeology) signed a pact to carry out a feasibility study on developing the Yakhton tungsten deposit in the Samarkand region of the country.

IFG says its latest investment over the 25-30 year working lie of the cluster is the largest such foreign investment in Uzbekistan’s mining industry since the end of the Soviet Union.

As part of the agreement, IFG will develop the tungsten cluster and be the leading principal investor in the project. Sun Group, which is active in India, Russia, West Africa and other emerging markets, has agreed to co-invest with IFG in the exploration and development of the tungsten cluster, subject to further due diligence.

As a result, IFG, Goscomgeology and Sun Group on September 28 signed an agreement on joint development of seven tungsten deposits in Uzbekistan during the Indian-Uzbek Business Forum held as part of the official visit of Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to India.

IFG intends to conduct a feasibility analysis into the exploration and development of the Ingichke, Gussay, Sarykul, Kara-Tyube, Lyangar and Koytash tungsten deposits, with the purpose of processing ore into concentrate. The Yakhton deposit will also become part of the cluster. Should the studies produce positive results, IFG has the exclusive rights to manage the industrial development of the deposits.

Olga Ponkratova, Managing Partner of IFG and head of IFG Metals and Mining, said growing shortfalls between global supply and demand have recently driven the tungsten price to its highest levels since September 2014, noting there is a growing expectation stronger pricing levels will continue for some time.

“This favorable market environment, coupled by the strong support that we have received from the government, makes this project possible,” he said.

Preliminary geological research indicates there is around 130,000 t of tungsten oxide in the seven deposits with the average grade coming in higher than comparable projects, according to IFG. The company plans to build two mobile processing factories to process ore and export 100% of produced tungsten to North America and the EU.

IFG is drilling verification boreholes at each deposit to verify existing historical reserves and confirm past  exploration data in accordance with international JORC standards. The first samples from the Yakhton deposit have already been sent abroad for metallurgical testing with results expected later this year.

IFG and Goscomgeology to revive Yakhton tungsten project in Uzbekistan

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An advisory and investment company has teamed up with Uzbekistan’s geology and mineral resources committee to carry out a feasibility study on developing the Yakhton tungsten deposit in the Samarkand region of the country.

IFG Capital Partners, which is focused on Uzbekistan and wider Central Asia, considers Yakhton to be the first step in “building a tungsten cluster in Uzbekistan through consolidating a number of individual low-margin deposits into a highly effective industry leader built around a state-of-the-art processing facility”. The project was previously explored as part of an Uzbek-South Korean joint venture, according to local Uzbekistan press reports.

IFG and the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Geology and Mineral Resources (Goscomgeology) will start the first phase of the study immediately. This includes verification drilling to confirm existing reserves and metallurgical testwork to determine the optimal ore processing scenario followed by the design of a processing facility.

Should the study prove positive, IFG will also organise the development of the deposit.

Yakhton is a tungsten deposit located near the town of Urgut, 55 km south of Samarkand, which contains some 20,100 tonnes of tungsten trioxide.

Bobir Islamov, Chairman of Goscomgeology, said: “Uzbekistan is a country rich in mineral resources and the tungsten industry has for long been considered an unexploited jewel. We are confident that this [project] has the potential to become a world-class tungsten operation.”

He added that the agreement marks another “major step in the accelerating growth of outside investment and expertise into Uzbekistan”.

Olga Ponkratova, Managing Partner of IFG and its IFG Metals and Mining subsidiary, said “We know the vast potential that Uzbekistan offers in the metals and mining space and we are pleased that our expertise has been recognised by the government as their chosen partner to develop such a great opportunity.

“We believe that this agreement will form the framework for future cooperation with Goscomgeology and will be a major stepping stone of our programme to make Uzbekistan not only a world-class tungsten producer but also an attractive investment destination.”

Uzebekistan already produces tungsten through a state-owned miner. In 2014, the company produced 83 t of the metal, according to the USGS.