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The first stage of a new copper processing plant has been launched in Almalyk
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the launch ceremony of copper processing plant No. 3 at the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Plant.
Our country is implementing many large projects in the fields of industry, energy, infrastructure and services. In each region, new residential complexes, educational and medical institutions, as well as tourist and cultural centers are being built.
Another result of such large-scale work and the selfless labor of our creative people was copper processing plant No. 3, which is of strategic importance for the development of domestic industry.
This $2.7 billion project, implemented on an area of 196 hectares as part of the Yoshlik-1 field development program, is not just an enterprise, but a modern industrial complex that will further strengthen the industrial potential and serve to ensure the deep processing of our country’s natural resources.
The plant, capable of processing 60 million tons of ore and producing about 900 thousand tons of copper concentrate per year, is not only one of the largest copper production plants in Central Asia, but is also one of the largest concentration plants in the world.
To implement the project at the level of world standards, companies such as Wood from Italy and Worley Parsons from the UK were attracted. The factory has introduced technologies from the world`s leading companies - Metso, FLSmidth, Weir Minerals and Siemens.
This project also gave a powerful impetus to the development of related industries in the region. The metal structures used in the construction are enough to build 10 Eiffel Towers, and the reinforced concrete is enough to build 2.5 Burj Khalifa towers. This once again confirms that the plant is a megaproject.
As part of the national project “Yashil Makon”, large-scale landscaping and landscaping work is being carried out on the territory of the plant. Drip irrigation systems and sustainable design solutions are designed to strike a balance between industry and nature.
In his speech, the President noted the results of reforms carried out in the mining industry in recent years and outlined plans for the future.
Thanks to the creation of a transparent system for transferring deposits to investors, $10 billion of foreign investment has been attracted over nine years. Today, 65 private enterprises operate in this sector.
As a result, production in this industry increased 1.7 times, reaching 270 trillion soums last year. This sector accounts for a quarter of industrial output and budget revenues. It is noteworthy that the largest number of highly paid jobs are also created at enterprises in the sector.
It was emphasized that one of the most important achievements was the establishment of training of highly qualified personnel together with foreign partners.
In particular, a branch of the Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys (MISiS), the Almalyk State Technical Institute, the University of Geological Sciences in Tashkent (in collaboration with the Wuhan Geological University), as well as a branch of the Italian University of Pisa have been created in Almalyk. Navoi State Mining and Technology University has also launched joint programs with leading universities in Russia, Canada, the USA, France and Chile.
Thanks to this, if previously precious and non-ferrous metals were exported mainly in unprocessed form, today our country processes 100 thousand tons of copper and creates high-value products. In a short period of time, production volume in the jewelry industry increased 3.3 times and exceeded 13 trillion soums.
The President noted that taking into account the projects that will be launched this year, the capacity for deep processing of copper will reach 240 thousand tons. These figures will continue to grow due to the implementation of new projects planned for the next two to three years.
It is indicated that copper has become a strategic raw material for industry, energy, electrical engineering, digital economy, artificial intelligence and green development.
– Whoever builds a high added value chain in the copper industry will lay the foundation for the industry of the future. A country that will create a sustainable infrastructure for the deep processing of these raw materials will bring income to thousands of families, development to the regions and strength to the state. Therefore, from the first days of our reforms, we paid special attention to geological exploration work, identifying the available reserves and our capabilities for their use,- said the head of our state.
This year alone, 20 million tons of ore will be mined from the Yoshlik-1 deposit alone. In the next two years, this figure will reach 60 million tons.
In general, it was noted that the Yoshlik-1 and Kalmakyr deposits contain deposits of 45 million tons of copper and more than 5 thousand tons of gold, which will provide the industry with guaranteed raw materials for at least 100 years. Rare metals such as molybdenum, selenium, tellurium, rhenium contained in these rocks create a solid basis for projects in new innovative directions.
After copper processing plant No. 3 reaches full capacity, the daily production of copper concentrate at the Almalyk plant will increase from the current 2.4 thousand tons to 5 thousand tons. At the same time, more than 6 thousand young people will receive high-paying jobs as part of the project. The plant introduces the most advanced technologies from the mining industry of the USA, Germany, Russia, China and Finland. All technological processes will be digitized and combined into a single control system based on artificial intelligence. Thanks to this, energy consumption will be reduced by 10 percent, cost by 15 percent, and labor productivity will increase by 10 percent.
In addition, work has begun on construction of a new $2.5 billion copper smelter.
In general, it was emphasized that thanks to these two large capacities, the annual production of copper cathodes will increase from 148.5 thousand tons to 300 thousand tons, gold - from 20 tons to 33 tons, silver - from 161 tons to 203 tons, and molybdenum - from 850 tons to 1.7 thousand tons. Along with this, the production of sulfuric acid, an essential raw material for uranium mining and the chemical industry, will triple.
The President noted that pre-design work on copper processing plant No. 4 is being carried out at an accelerated pace, which will increase these figures by 1.5 times.
Uzbekistan intends to increase gold production to 175 tons, silver to 500 tons, uranium to 15 thousand tons and copper to 500 thousand tons by 2030. The nearly 40,000 high-paying jobs that will be created through $22 billion in projects will provide great opportunities for our youth.
The head of state expressed deep gratitude to all the workers who took an active part in the construction of the plant, builders and mechanics, engineers and technologists, geologists and miners, labor veterans who shared their experience and professional knowledge with young people, as well as foreign partners who contributed to the project. I wished the new team of the factory great success in their future work.
A conversation took place with plant workers, labor veterans and professors and teachers.
At the end of the ceremony, the head of our state pressed the symbolic button and launched the factory’s activities.
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