Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  Uzbekistan plans to establish domestic copper processing capabilities for up to 300,000 tons of copper, with the creation of clusters, technoparks, and joint ventures for the production of copper-based products. This was announced by Ural Yusupov, the deputy minister of mining and geology.

He highlighted that one of the key projects is the Akhangaran Copper Cluster in the Tashkent region.

This cluster is set to produce semiconductors, microelectronics components, and other high-value-added products in stages, using copper supplied by the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine (AGMK).

In June of this year, AGMK announced plans to increase copper production to 500,000 tons by 2031, which would be five times the current production volume of around 150,000 tons. Investments in the development of the enterprise during this period are expected to amount to around $15 billion.

It is anticipated that as a result of developing the "Yoshlik-1" deposit, copper cathode production will reach 300,000 tons during the first phase (2021–2025), 400,000 tons during the second phase (2024–2028), and 500,000 tons by the third phase (2026–2030).

HATCH has developed a list of approximately 30 types of copper products that are planned to be produced in Uzbekistan.

Experts forecast that the production of such a broad range of products will help minimize logistical challenges associated with the lack of direct access to seaports.