Today the Scientific-Production Association for production of rare metals and hard alloys of AMMC held a media tour titled “Implementation of the year programme at the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex”.

The event, organised by the information service of the Complex, was attended by representatives of the BBC television and radio company (UK), “Atameken Business Media Holding” television channel, “Khabar” agency (Kazakhstan), “Kabar” news agency (Kyrgyzstan), “Jingzi Jibao” newspaper,” Xinhua” agency (China), “Sputnik” and “Fergana” news agencies and the media outlets of our country.

The event began with a presentation on the association’s activities and the work carried out in 2022.

- The Association is one of the most important divisions within AMMC, producing molybdenum metal, tungsten and their salts, molybdenum and tungsten billets and briquettes, tungsten carbide, refractory ceramic products, and hard-alloy products, said Ilkhom Asadov, director of the SPA. The products of the Association are mainly export-oriented. In January-December 2022, the Association exported products for USD 33.3 million. For domestic market products for amount of 29.18 billion UZ Soums were produced. Products for amount of 1.09 billion UZ Soums have been sent to the Complex structural units. The SPA currently employs 1,127 workers. The 2022-2026 development programme of the Association calls for the implementation of 34 projects for total amount of 161.05 million US dollars.

Also under the programme, projects were implemented in 2022 including increasing of molybdenum production, manufacture of finished rare metal products, introducing of wear-resistant hardening coating technologies, production of cobalt oxide from carbide waste, and extracting of indium from zinc production solutions. As a result of these projects, 135 new jobs have been created. More than 20 types of products have been mastered.

For the Association’s workforce, 2022 has been a fruitful year. Industrial production for 421.3 billion UZ Soums was produced, the forecast was presheduled by 180.2%. Export of products amounted to 33.33 million US dollars, the forecast in this direction was presheduled by 284.9%. Within the framework of the Localization Program, on the basis of 42 projects, products were produced in the amount of 110.3 bln. UZ Soums. Net profit from production is 180.2 billion UZ Soums. There was almost five times (4.9) fulfillment of the forecast in this direction.

Afterwards, journalists were briefed on the activities of the Uzbek-Korean Science and Technology Centre.

Amir Abidov, Director of the Centre for the Development and Introduction of Innovative Technologies, Professor and Coordinator of the Uzbekistan-Korea Programme: “In 2019, an Uzbek-Korean Science and Technology Centre was established under the Association. On 25 December this year, the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea decided to award a grant of 15 billion won (about USD 12 million) to the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex”.

Under this grant, SPA shall set an industrial experimental shop at the Uzbek-Korean Science and Technology Centre. Modern technological laboratory equipment will be purchased for it. The new workshop will carry out research and development work to modernise production, attracting new technology through a programme of commercialisation of scientific developments.

The project is scheduled to be implemented between 2023 and 2027.  As part of the project, pilot equipment will be delivered to the industrial experimental shop of the Uzbek-Korean Science and Technology Centre being a part of the Association and a joint R&D programme will be implemented. Korean experts in the rare metals and copper industry will conduct their work in Uzbekistan, while the Complex engineers will receive internships in Korea.

The press tour also included visits to the Association’s technical library, the molybdenum and tungsten pyrometallurgical shop, the composite materials and carbide production shop and the tooling and machining shop.

It was also stressed during the press tour that as a result of the fruitful research carried out by scientists of the Complex, specialists of the Association and the centre, metallic rhenium was obtained in 2021 and pure molybdenum in 2022, while in August this year the first sample of a new nickel-based superalloy was obtained, which is used in the automotive industry, combustion engines, the oil and gas industry and the aerospace industry. Another invention is ammonium octamolybdate, which is highly fire-safe. When exposed to flames, sparks, high temperatures, electric currents and chemical reactions, it does not ignite, does not smoulder, does not spread fire and does not emit smoke. Most preferable is the fact that plastic, with ammonium octamolybdate introduced into it, ceases to burn, which is relevant in the manufacture of building materials.

During the press tour, media representatives received answers to their questions from specialists of the plant.