Currently, the committee completed preparation of materials for open tenders, winner of which will receive right to explore and mine copper-molybdenum and copper- sulfur ores at Jengeldi area at Northern Bukantau mountains. The winner will receive license for five years.
Earlier, it was planned to announce tender on Jengeldi area in the first quarter of 2010, but the committee corrected tender terms due to market situation.
The committee said that forecasted reserves of copper on P2 category at Jengeldi area is 600,000 tonnes and molybdenum - 50,000 tonnes.
Currently, Uzbekistan develops copper-porphyry deposit in Tashkent region. In particular, Almalyk Mining and Metallurgy Combine (AGMK) is the only developer of copper-porphyry deposits Kalmakyr and Sary-Cheku with total reserves of 17 million tonnes of copper. Currently, only 20% of them were mined.
AGMK is planning to increase copper production by 4.5% year-on-year to 83,000 tonnes in 2010.