In the Akmola region, the first underground blast was carried out at the Altyntau Kokshetau JSC deposit, marking the transition to underground ore mining, reports infohub.kz.
As clarified by the regional akimat, this event opened a new stage in the development of the mine. Deputy Akim of the Akmola region Ernar Zharkeshov emphasized: "The transition to the shaft method is a great historical moment for the enterprise. It will extend the life of the deposit until 2047, create new jobs, and give a new impetus to the development of the enterprise."
To expand the company's production area, an additional land plot of 1,057 hectares was provided.
Altyntau Kokshetau is the gold mining division of Kazzinc LLP. Previously, mining was carried out by open-pit method, with up to 15 tons of gold produced annually.
The site includes a gold ore deposit and a processing plant launched in 2009. The ore is ground to four microns. The resulting Dore alloy is sent to the refinery of the Ust-Kamenogorsk metallurgical complex.
The enterprise employs more than 1,700 people. Its share is 17% of industrial production in the Akmola region and 23% of the region's manufacturing industry.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that Kazzinc earned Glencore $771 million amid rumors of a sale and a plant explosion.