Copper Processing Plant No. 3, officially commissioned on 16 March of this year with the participation of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, is not only a major industrial facility but also a key strategic element of the country's emerging modern copper cluster.

Today, copper is becoming a key raw material for the energy, electrical engineering, digital economy, and green technologies. Therefore, the state has identified expanded geological exploration, efficient development of mineral resources, advanced processing of minerals, and the production of high-value-added products as priority areas of industrial policy.

Copper Processing Plant No. 3, built by Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex as part of the “Yoshlik I” deposit development program, plays a key role in achieving these objectives. The project cost is US$2.7 billion. The facility is located on the 196-hectare site and, and when it will reach its designed production capacity, it will be able to process up to 60 million tons of ore annually and produce approximately 900,000 tons of copper concentrate.

The plant's strategic importance is primarily reflected in its contribution to the country's economic development and job creation. When it will reach its full production capacity, it will create over 4,000 jobs. The majority of these positions are intended for qualified domestic specialists and young professionals with modern knowledge and professional competencies.

From the production perspective, the facility will be able to extract over 166,000 tons of copper annually from copper concentrate, as well as gold, silver, and other precious and base metals. The resulting products will be continuously fed to the next stage of production –the copper smelter.

One of the key advantages of MOF-3 is its high level of process equipment. The facility utilizes modern production systems and digital control systems from leading global mining equipment manufacturers. Specifically, the unified integrated process system has been created based on innovative solutions from Metso Outotec, FLSmidth, Uralmashplant, Weir Minerals, and Siemens.

Application of the HPGR technology significantly reduces energy consumption while simultaneously increasing ore crushing efficiency. State-of-the-art flotation and filtration equipment ensures the production of high-quality concentrate, while the Siemens PCS 7 and AVEVA PI Vision platforms enable real-time monitoring and control of all process processes.

On 8 June of this year, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was informed on the progress of major investment projects in the country's copper industry and future development plans for the industry. The presentation addressed the commissioning of subsequent stages of MOF-3, stabilizing production processes, and ensuring the plant's timely achievement of planned production targets.

Specific measures were identified for the phased ramp-up of ball mills and flotation lines to full capacity. The goal is to significantly increase ore processing volumes, fully launch the key process chains, and ensure sustainable production by the end of this year.

According to available data, once the plant reaches its design capacity, the daily copper concentrate production at Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex will increase from 2,400 to 5,000 tons. This will reduce production costs, improve energy efficiency, and significantly increase labor productivity.

As of 7 June 2026, MOP-3 had processed over 2.8 million tons of ore and produced over 50,000 tons of copper concentrate. Considering the relatively short time since the project's launch, these figures demonstrate the plant's successful achievement of its design capacity.

The plant currently produces over 800 tons of copper concentrate per day. Thanks to the phased ramp-up of its process capacity, this figure has demonstrated steady monthly growth.

To achieve the objectives set by the President, the plant's team has identified specific priorities. These include increasing energy efficiency, rational use of resources, continuously improving production processes, and actively implementing digital technologies.

By the end of 2026, a phased expansion of production capacity and the establishment of stable operation of the process lines are planned. This will enable the processing of approximately 20 million tons of ore and the production of over 288,000 tons of copper concentrate. This will also ensure an uninterrupted supply of concentrate to the smelter.

In addition, a range of measures is being implemented to increase the localization of reagents, consumables, and spare parts, as well as to reduce production costs through the introduction of innovative and alternative technical solutions.

Future plans include further digitalization of production processes, expansion of automated control systems, and the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies for process analysis and optimization. All of this will take production efficiency, plant sustainability, and management quality to a fundamentally new level. Copper Processing Plant No. 3 will undoubtedly serve as a solid foundation for the further development of not only Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex but also the entire copper industry in Uzbekistan. Successful implementation of this megaproject will contribute to strengthening the country's industrial potential, increasing exports, and expanding the production of high-value-added products.

Ismoilhon Vahobov
Chief Engineer of Copper Processing Plant