The capacity of ore mining and processing plant makes up 650,000 tonnes of ore a year. The production capacities of ore mining and processing complex can make up 6,000 tonnes of copper concentrate, 20,000 tonnes of lean concentrate and 60 tonnes of zinc concentrate a year.

Total cost of the project makes up US$147 million. The project is financed due to own resources for US$46.5 million, loan of the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan for US$60 million and loans of the Uzbek banks for US$40 million. The feasibility study of the project was developed by Russian institute Mehanobrinjunering (Saint Petersburg).

AGMK is planning to increase its resource base and load of production capacities of copper melting and zinc plant due to implementation of this project.

Total explored reserves of the deposit is 1.5 million tonnes of zinc, 700,000 tonnes of lead, 180,000 tonnes of copper and 2,300 tonnes of silver.

In line with JORC classification, the deposit has 14.4 million tonnes of ore with content of 134 g per tonne of silver, 7.24 g per tonne of zinc, 3.5 g per tonne of lead, 0.86 g per tonne of copper and 0.38 g per tonne of gold. The ore also contains selenium, cadmium and indium. At current prices at the world markets, the deposit’s reserves are evaluated at US$4.5 billion.

Almalyk Mining and Metallurgy Combine OJSC is the largest producer of copper in Central Asia and it has right to develop several copper- molybdenic and lead-zinc deposits in Tashkent, Jizzakh and Namangan regions of Uzbekistan. The enterprise produces purified copper (cathode), including copper concentrate based on tolling and due to processing of scrap, metal zinc, lead concentrate and other products. Share of AGMK in production of silver is 90% and gold – 20% in Uzbekistan.

AGMK now has four ore mills – copper, lead-zinc and two gold producing. The enterprise has eight ore mining enterprises and two metallurgy plants. Khandiza ore mining and processing complex will become the fifth plant.