President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the opening ceremony of the Copper Processing Plant No. 3 at Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex.

Our country is implementing numerous major projects in industry, energy, infrastructure, and services. New residential districts, educational and medical institutions, as well as tourist and cultural centers, are being built in every region.

The latest result of such large-scale projects and the dedicated work of our constructive people is Copper Processing Plant No. 3, which is of strategic importance for the development of domestic industry.

This $2.7 billion project, being implemented on 196 hectares as part of the “Yoshlik-1” deposit development program, is not just an enterprise but a modern industrial complex that will further strengthen our industrial potential and ensure the advanced processing of our country's natural resources.

The plant, with a capacity to process 60 million tons of ore and produce approximately 900,000 tons of copper concentrate per year, is not only one of the largest copper producers in Central Asia but also one of the largest processing plants in the world.

To implement the project to world-class standards, the companies such as Wood from Italy and Worley Parsons from the UK were engaged. The factory incorporates technologies from leading global companies including Metso, FLSmidth, Weir Minerals, and Siemens.

This project has also provided a powerful impetus for the development of related industries in the region. The steel 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 further confirms the factory's status as a megaproject.

As part of the nationwide "Yashil Makon" project, extensive landscaping and improvement work is underway at the factory site. Drip irrigation systems and eco-friendly design solutions are designed to ensure a balance between industry and nature.

In his speech, the President highlighted 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 in 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 UZS last year. This sector accounts for a quarter of industrial output and budget revenues. Notably, the largest number of high-paying jobs are also created in enterprises in this sector.

It was emphasized that one of the most important achievements has been the establishment of highly qualified personnel training in collaboration with international partners.

Specifically, the 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 University of Geology), and the branch of the University of Pisa (Italy) have been established in Almalyk. The Navoi State University of Mining and Technology has also launched joint programs with leading universities in Russia, Canada, the United States, France, and Chile.

As a result, while precious and non-ferrous metals were previously exported primarily in unprocessed form, today 100,000 tons of copper are processed in our country, creating high-value products. In a short period of time, production volume in the jewelry industry has increased 3.3-fold, exceeding 13 trillion UZS.

The President noted that, taking into account the projects scheduled for launch this year, deep copper processing capacity will reach 240,000 tons. These figures will continue to grow due to the implementation of new projects planned for the next two to three years.

It is noted that copper has become a strategic raw material for industry, energy, electrical engineering, the digital economy, artificial intelligence, and green development.

– Those who build a high-value-added chain in the copper industry will lay the foundation for the industry of the future. A country that creates a sustainable infrastructure for the advanced processing of this raw material will bring income to thousands of families, development to the regions, and strength to the state. Therefore, from the very first days of our reforms, we placed special emphasis on geological exploration, identifying existing reserves and our capabilities for their development. – said the head of our state.

This year only, the “Yoshlik-1” deposit alone will produce 20 million tons of ore. Over the next two years, this figure will reach 60 million tons.

Overall, it was noted that the “Yoshlik-1” and “Qalmaqqir” deposits contain 45 million tons of copper and over 5,000 tons of gold, which will provide the industry with a guaranteed supply of raw materials for at least 100 years. Rare metals such as molybdenum, selenium, tellurium, and rhenium contained in these rocks create a solid foundation for projects in new innovative areas.

Once Copper Processing Plant No. 3 reaches its full capacity, the daily copper concentrate production at the Almalyk Complex will increase from the today’s 2,400 tons to 5,000 tons. At the same time, more than 6,000 young people will receive high-pay jobs as part of the project. The plant is introducing the most advanced mining technologies from the US, Germany, Russia, China, and Finland. All technological processes will be digitalized and integrated into a single control system based on artificial intelligence. This will reduce energy consumption by 10 percent, production costs by 15 percent, and productivity by 10 percent.

In addition, the construction has begun on a new $2.5 billion copper smelter.

Overall, it was emphasized that these two large facilities will increase annual copper cathode production from 148,500 tons to 300,000 tons, gold from 20 tons to 33 tons, silver from 161 tons to 203 tons, and molybdenum from 850 tons to 1,700 tons. Furthermore, the production of sulfuric acid, a raw material essential for uranium mining and the chemical industry, will triple.

The President noted that pre-design work on Copper Processing Plant No. 4 is progressing at an accelerated pace, which will increase these figures by 1.5 times.

By 2030, Uzbekistan intends to increase gold production to 175 tons, silver to 500 tons, uranium to 15,000 tons, and copper to 500,000 tons. Nearly 40,000 high-pay jobs, which will be created as part of these projects worth $22 billion, will provide significant opportunities for our youth.

The head of state expressed deep gratitude to all the workers who actively participated in the plant's construction: the builders and mechanics, engineers and technologists, geologists and miners, veterans of labor who shared their experience and professional expertise with young people, as well as the foreign partners who contributed to the project. He wished the plant's new team great success in their future endeavors.

A conversation was held with the plant workers, labor veterans, and professors.

At the end of the ceremony, the head of state pressed the symbolic button and launched the factory.

Source: https://president.uz