On November 1, Kazakhstan’s first tungsten processing plant wasopenedin the Almaty region. According to the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Construction, this will strengthen the country’s position in the global rare earth metals market.
The $300 million project will create up to 1,000 local jobs and, when fully operational, will process 3.3 million tons of ore annually, producing 65% tungsten concentrate.
Jiaxin International Resources Investment Ltd. is implementing the project, which was joined by Jiangxi Copper Corporation, China Railway Construction Company, China Civil Engineering Construction Company, and Ever Trillion International Singapore PTE LTD.
Further plans include constructing a $150 million deep processing facility to increase tungsten content to 88.5% and produce high-purity tungsten carbide.
Tungsten has the highest melting point of all metals and is alloyed with other metals to strengthen them. Tungsten and its alloys are used in many high-temperature applications, such as arc-welding electrodes and heating elements in high-temperature furnaces. Tungsten carbide is tough and important to the metal-working, mining, and petroleum industries.
Speaking at the 36th meeting of the Foreign Investors’ Council in Astana on October 31, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized that Kazakhstan has a unique mineral resource base and has attracted more than $1 billion of private investment in geological exploration over the past six years.
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