The Udokan copper company which develops the Udokan copper deposit intends to launch production before the end of this year, TASS reports.
The Udokan copper field is the largest in Russia and one of the largest in the world. Udokan's copper resources are estimated at 26.7 million tons. It is located in the Kalarsky district of the Trans-Baikal Territory.
The company expects that the first start-up complex at Udokan will be brought online before the end of this year, while the hydrometallurgical plant is set to become operational in early 2024, TASS quoted the company as saying.
"Today, the plant is one step away from completion, and we are focused on commissioning, cold and hot testing of equipment. This year, as planned, we will launch an enrichment plant, and a hydrometallurgical plant at the beginning of next year," the company said.
Udokan Copper also announced the completion of the international feasibility study for the second stage of construction at Udokan, its launch is now scheduled for 2028.
"Preliminarily, we plan to launch the second stage of the Udokan project in 2028. To date, a feasibility study for the project of the second stage of the Udokan mining and metallurgical complex has been completed, as well as technological regulations for designing a plant with a capacity of 24-28 million tons of ore per year," the company noted.
According to Aleksey Yastchuk, CEO of Udokan Copper, at the end of 2024 the company plans to reach the design capacity of 15 million tons of ore per year with the production of up to 150 000 tons of copper. The first and second stages at the Udokan will ensure the annual processing of about 40 million tons of ore and the production of about 400 000 tons of copper, the company said.
Theodor Lisovoy, Editor in Chief of the European bureau, Rough&Polished
