Located in Surkhandarya region, the Khonjiza Mining Administration is one of the youngest enterprises under the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex (AMMC). Its history began in 2007 with the construction of an underground mine and a plant specializing in the production of zinc, lead, and copper concentrates. By 2009, the total area of the administration had reached 128 hectares, and extraction of ore from the Khonjiza shaft began the same year. Mining operations were established using sublevel caving and chamber-and-pillar systems.

Today, work is actively underway to develop new ore horizons and increase production capacity as part of the investment project: “Development and preparation of reserves between the +1280 m and +880 m horizons at the Khonjiza mine jointly with the Chinorsoy mine.”

The technical and economic justification of this project was prepared by “Uzgeorangmetliti” LLC and received a positive conclusion from the Center for Comprehensive Examination of Projects and Import Contracts under the Ministry of Economy and Finance on January 25, 2023 (Resolution №. 01/4-2/2023).

As part of the project, a tender was announced on the public procurement portal (etender.uzex.uz) to select a contractor for the construction of the “Ventilyasionniy” vertical shaft on turnkey basis.

By the deadline, technical and commercial proposals were submitted by companies including: TOO StroyKAZ Group (Kazakhstan), TOO New Exim Power (Kazakhstan), Rushmore Group FZE (UAE), Mine Construction Alliance (Czech Republic), Gidro Stanko Servis LLC (Uzbekistan).

 To ensure transparent evaluation of prequalification and technical proposals, a Working Group was established.

Based on evaluation results conducted under 10 qualification and 18 technical criteria, the tender commission declared Rushmore Group FZE (UAE) the winner, and a contact was signed.

Currently, the company has begun design and basic engineering works, and construction and installation activities are underway.

The investment project and construction of associated facilities are scheduled for completion by November 2030.

The project capacity provides for the extraction and processing of 650,000 tonnes of ore per year, with a total cost of 168.6 million USD.

The second phase of the project includes ventilation, material supply, and pumping of underground water. To improve efficiency modern underground machinery has been deployed – including load-haul-dump machines with internal combustion engines, underground haul trucks, and drilling rigs.

According to Bunyod Jurayev, Head of the Khonjiza Mining Administration: In the first stage, ore has already been extracted down to the +1280 m horizon. Inclined haulage and pedestrian ramps have been constructed to the +1220 m level, and a transport drift was driven at +1200 m to connect upper and lower horizons. To prepare lower horizons and ensure ventilation safety, vertical shafts and lateral drifts were excavated at +1268 m. A major capital adit, 1,879 meters long, is currently being driven upwards from the +1200 m horizon to the surface at +1280 m.

Modernization efforts at Khonjiza aim to install a new generation of mining equipment to reduce energy consumption, decrease production costs, increase product competitiveness, and most importantly – enhance worker safety and create better working conditions.

Information service