Uzbekistan launches major copper processing plant as reserves promise 100 years of supply

The new Copper Concentrator No. 3 was launched during the president’s visit to the industrial complex in Almalyk on March 16. During the trip, Mirziyoyev also held a meeting to discuss measures to accelerate large investment projects in the mining sector.

Officials noted that the copper deposits at the Yoshlik-1 deposit and Kalmakyr deposit contain around 45 million tons of copper and more than 5,000 tons of gold, providing a guaranteed raw material base for the country’s industry for at least 100 years.

$2.7 billion concentrator among the largest in the world

The newly launched facility forms part of the development program for the Yoshlik-1 deposit and represents an investment of $2.7 billion.

Built on an area of 196 hectares, the plant is capable of processing 60 million tons of ore per year and producing about 900,000 tons of copper concentrate annually. According to officials, this makes it one of the largest copper processing facilities not only in Central Asia but also globally.

The project involved international engineering and technology partners, including Wood, Worley, Metso, FLSmidth, Weir Minerals, and Siemens.

Construction required enormous volumes of materials. Officials noted that the amount of metal structures used would be sufficient to build ten towers the size of the Eiffel Tower, while the reinforced concrete volume would be enough for roughly 2.5 structures comparable to the Burj Khalifa.

Production capacity and jobs expected to increase

Once fully operational, the new concentrator will increase the daily output of copper concentrate at the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine from 2,400 tons to 5,000 tons.

The project is also expected to create more than 6,000 high-income jobs, many of them aimed at young professionals.

Advanced mining technologies from companies in the United States, Germany, Russia, China, and Finland are being introduced at the plant.

All production processes will be digitalized and integrated into a unified management system using artificial intelligence. As a result, energy consumption is expected to decrease by 10%, production costs by 15%, while labor productivity is projected to rise by 10%.

Plans to expand copper processing and output

According to officials, the launch of several projects this year will increase Uzbekistan’s copper deep-processing capacity to 240,000 tons.

Additional projects scheduled for the next two to three years are expected to further expand production capacity.

During the meeting, Mirziyoyev emphasized that global demand for copper is steadily rising as the metal becomes increasingly important for industries such as energy, electronics, the digital economy, artificial intelligence, and green technologies.

“Whoever builds a high-value chain in the copper industry will build the industry of the future,” the president said.

Ambitious expansion plans for Almalyk complex

Authorities also announced the start of work on a $2.5 billion copper smelting plant, which will further strengthen the processing capabilities of the Almalyk complex.

Together with the new concentrator, the project is expected to increase annual production to:

• 300,000 tons of copper cathodes
• 33 tons of gold
• 203 tons of silver
• 1,700 tons of molybdenum

Uranium production and sulfuric acid output – a key input for the chemical industry – are also expected to triple.

Officials estimate that the expansion will generate an additional $5 billion in annual revenue for the enterprise.

Preparatory work is also underway for a fourth copper concentrator, which could increase production indicators by another 1.5 times. If implemented, these projects could transform the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine into one of the three largest copper production complexes in the world.

National mining strategy through 2030

As part of its long-term strategy, Uzbekistan aims to significantly expand its mineral production by 2030.

Targets include:

• 500,000 tons of copper annually
• 175 tons of gold
• 500 tons of silver
• 15,000 tons of uranium

These goals are linked to $22 billion worth of investment projects in the mining and metallurgical sector, which are expected to create around 40,000 high-income jobs, particularly for young specialists.