Managing three regions

Mining & concentrating

Extracting value at every step Kazakhmys is responsible for 90% of all copper produced in Kazakhstan. We also produce and sell significant quantities of zinc, silver and gold as by-products. Our integrated structure, owning and managing everything from mining to production, has helped make us one of the world's most flexible and lowest-cost copper producers.

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Managing three regions

Kazakhmys operates mines and concentrators in three regions:

• Zhezkazgan Region
• Central Region
• East Region

Focused on copper

In 2010, we mined 32.9 million tonnes of copper ore, with an average grade (copper content) of 1.09%. We crush the ore in several stages and treat it in one of our ten concentrators. The concentrate then passes to our smelting and refining team for processing through to finished metal.

Producing valuable by-products

Alongside copper, our ore contains other metals. We produce significant quantities of zinc, silver and gold as by-products. The mix of by-products varies between mines. 

Smelting & refining

Refining our resources

As a fully integrated group, we own and manage every step of our smelting and refining operations.

Assets

• Zhezkazgan: smelter, electro refinery and copper rod plant
• Balkhash: smelter, electro refinery and precious metals refinery.

Production

 

 

Zhezkazgan Region smelter/electro refinery:

• Designed annual capacity: 200 kt of copper cathode
• Copper content (2010): 99.99%.

Zhezkazgan Region copper rod plant:

• Designed annual capacity: 50 kt
• Copper content (2010): 99.99%.

Central Region smelter/electro refinery:

• Designed annual capacity: 210 kt of copper cathode
• Copper content (2010): 99.99%.

Central Region precious metals refinery:

• Designed annual capacity: 322,000 ounces of gold, 21.7 million ounces of silver.

 
 

Power

Powering our business and Kazakhstan

Kazakhmys is the largest power producer in Kazakhstan, managing over 20% of domestic market, including the supple to well as supplying our operations and surrounding communities. We also own 50% of Kazakhstan's largest power station, Ekibastuz GRES-1, as well as three captive power plants.

Assets

• Ekibastuz GRES-1
• Captive power: three power facilities, and two coal mines.

Production

Key developments

We have begun a $1 billion investment programme at Ekibastuz which will increase capacity from the current 2,500 MW to 4,000 MW, while also reducing emissions. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Auxiliary services

Supporting our operations

From engineering and construction teams to rail and road networks, we run many of our own support services. We have the flexibility to respond to opportunities and demands as they arise, and reduce the risk of external interruptions.

Transporting by rail and road

We transport most of our raw materials and products by our own rail network. The network links to Kazakhstan’s main national rail trunk line and comprises around 1,100 km of railway infrastructure, over 100 locomotives and 800 wagons. Our road haulage fleets operate mainly in the East and Central Regions, where there are fewer railroads.

Launching new ventures

To help secure reliable supplies, we have created joint ventures with companies in our region. These include:

• KazBelAz, a joint venture with a Belarussian truck company, of which we own 51%. KazBelAz will begin producing spare parts for trucks in 2011, followed by a full truck assembly service in the longer term.
• In 2010 we launched the MyShina tyre recycling plant in Zhezkazgan. In the first year, we bought all 600 of the plant's re-treaded tyres. The plant now intends to work with third parties. MyShina has diversified employment in the area, providing 93 jobs for local people.

Construction and maintenance

In addition to our own operations, we help construct and maintain social facilities such as schools, hospitals, roads and infrastructure. Our work in these areas reflects our commitment to supporting local communities. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Copper process

Kazakhmys operates 17 mines. Most are underground while some are open pit. The mines generally contain ‘sulphide ores’ and by-products that vary between mines. The main by-products are zinc, silver and gold. Each step in the process focuses on removing increasing amounts of unwanted materials, turning sulphide ore into finished metals.

Mining

• Sulphide ores are taken from underground or open-pit mines by drilling and blasting with explosives.
• Large power shovels collect the ore and load it into haul trucks, The trucks transport the ore to the primary crushers. Primary crushing may take place in the mine to simplify transportation.

Concentrating

• The ore is processed through a series of crushers and mixed with water. This produces finely ground ore in the form of a paste or slurry.
• The slurry is mixed with various chemical reagents that can identify and coat the specific mineral particles.
• A liquid ‘frother’ is added to aid the separation process.
• This slurry is processed though the several flotation stages. The process recovers all valuable components of the ore, such as zinc, copper and precious metals.
• In the first stage of the flotation process (bulk flotation), the slurry (with reagents) is pumped into flotation tanks and injected with air to create bubbles. All the sulphide particles cling to the surface of the bubbles, which are skimmed off into troughs.
• In the second flotation stage (selective flotation) valuable minerals of different metals are separated from each other by adding special chemical compounds. These compounds force one mineral to cling to the surface of the bubbles and other minerals to stay inactive.
• As the bubbles condense, the water is drained off. This creates separated copper and zinc concentrates, which contain 20-35% copper, plus various sulphides of copper and iron, and small concentrations of other materials, including gold and silver; they also contain 40-45% zinc with other associated elements.

Smelting

• The copper concentrate and a silica material known as a flux are fed into a Vanyukov furnace. We operate an oxygen-enriched blast in Balkhash Smelter and 6-in-line electric furnace in Zhezkazgan Smelter.
• The concentrate and flux melt and make the matte, comprising copper, iron and sulphur that settles at the bottom of the furnace. The rest of the iron chemically combines with the flux to form a slag, which can be separated off.
• Part of the sulphur in the concentrate combines with oxygen and forms the off-gas. This comprises sulphur dioxide, oxygen, water and nitrogen. Most of the sulphur dioxide is captured in the form of sulphuric acid. Sulphuric acid can be neutralised or sold for a wide range of applications.
• The remaining material, called matte, contains 40-60% copper by weight.
• The molten matte is transferred into a smelting vessel called a converter. Here, additional silica flux and blast air are added to remove the iron and sulphur.
• The resulting molten material is called 'blister copper' and contains around 99% copper by weight.

 
 
 

Refining

• The blister copper is transferred into a refining furnace. Air is blown into the molten copper to oxidise part of the copper and most of the impurities. A sodium carbonate flux is added to remove traces of arsenic and antimony.
• The operator tests samples to determine when the impurities have reached the acceptable level.
• Oxidised copper is reduced using the fuel oil to produce 99.5% pure copper. This is poured into moulds to form large plates of copper called 'anodes'.
• The anodes are loaded in a polymer-concrete tank. Next to each anode is a thin sheet of copper, known as a cathode. An electrical current is passed through the plates – the anode being the positive electrode and the cathode acting as a negative electrode.
• The tanks are filled with an acidic copper sulphate solution, which acts as an electrical conductor between the anode and cathode. The copper is dissolved from the anode and deposited to the cathode. Over approximately two weeks, the pure copper is formed on the cathodes from the anodes.
• As the copper is plated, the remaining impurities (slimes) fall to the bottom of the tank. These slimes contain the gold and silver.
• The cathodes are removed from the tank, and will be around 99.95-99.99% copper. The slimes are taken to the precious metals refinery, where they are refined into finished metal.

Other operations

Extending our operations

At Kazakhmys, we focus on copper production and power. However, we also have operations in two other areas:

Petroleum exploration

In 2007, we acquired the petroleum exploration rights to the East Akzhar Exploration Block. We are currently developing four deep wells, with two more planned for 2011. Read more

Refined copper products

Kazakhmys currently owns MKM: an organisation that produces refined copper products, and manufactures and sells various pre-finished and semi-finished copper and copper alloy products.  
 
 
 
 
 
 

Why Kazakhstan?

Ideally positioned to grow

Our operations in Kazakhstan mean we are ideally positioned to enjoy the growth opportunities of Central Asia, serve many of the world's largest markets and respond to customer demand. As a land rich in natural resources, strong transport links and substantial foreign investment, Kazakhstan provides us with every opportunity to grow.

Working within a promising economy

Kazakhstan is the ninth-largest country in the world and the second-largest country in the former Soviet Union. Since 1991, structural reforms have advanced its economy. This has led to stable year-on-year growth, over $120 billion of foreign direct investment, and the prestige of becoming the first former Soviet Union country to receive an investment-grade credit rating.

Operating from a position of strength

With over 61,000 employees and annual revenues representing over 2% of Kazakhstan's gross domestic product, Kazakhmys is among the country's largest and most influential companies. We are also one of Kazakhstan's biggest tax payers and a mainstay of the country's economy.

Bringing new life to the Silk Route

Kazakhmys has a central role in bringing new life to the Silk Route: an ancient network of trade routes stretching across Asia to the Mediterranean, Europe and Africa. Our transport operations closely follow the Silk Route, transporting our products throughout the region and beyond. 

Вырезка из газетной статьи 

Новости

09/07/2011 

Мы  должны и будем  бороться за повышение  конкурентоспособности  горно-металлургической отрасли Казахстана - К.Масимов 

Во вторник 5 июля в Акорде Президент РК Нурсултан Назарбаев принял присягу государственных и политических деятелей. Так, присягу народу и Президенту страны принесли Генеральный прокурор РК Асхат Даулбаев, министры: иностранных дел - Ержан Казыханов, 
внутренних дел - Калмухамбет Касымов, сельского хозяйства - Асылжан Мамытбеков, связи и информации - Аскар Жумагалиев, по делам экономической интеграции - Жанар Айтжанова, образования и науки - Бахытжан Жумагулов, транспорта и коммуникаций - Берик Камалиев, туризма и спорта - Талгат Ермегияев, здравоохранения - Салидат Каирбекова, председатель Агентства по делам государственной службы - Алихан Байменов, директор службы внешней разведки Аманжол Жанкулиев, акимы: Акмолинской области - Сергей Дьяченко, Алматинской - Анзар Мусаханов, Жамбылской - Канат Бозумбаев.

Глава государства  поздравил государственных и  политических деятелей с принесением  присяги и отметил, что присяга  всегда - у любых народов, у любых  поколений являлась святым делом, особенно у казахов.

«Я хочу, чтобы  все государственные службы помнили  каждый день каждое слово, содержащееся в присяге, тогда государственный  служащий будет ближе к простому человеку, у него не будет чванства, верхоглядства, он постарается вникнуть в просьбу, нужду каждого человека», - добавил Н.Назарбаев.

На этой неделе 4-5 июля в Астане прошел второй горно-металлургический конгресс AMM - 2011. В представительном форуме приняли участие делегаты из 25 стран мира, это Казахстан, Узбекистан, США, Великобритания, Украина, Турция, ОАЭ, Швейцария, Словакия, Испания, Россия, Латвия, Кыргызстан, Япония, Италия, Германия, Франция, Чехия, Китай, Канада, Беларусь, Австрия, Корея, Индия, ЮАР. Всего в форуме приняли участие 1 300 человек. В рамках конгресса было подписано шесть ключевых меморандумов по сотрудничеству в области горно-металлургического сектора.

Открывая работу форума, Премьер-Министр РК Карим  Масимов пообещал, что Правительство будет бороться за конкурентоспособность горно-металлургической отрасли Казахстана.

«Мы ясно понимаем, что новые инвестиции в горно-металлургический комплекс - это высоко рисковое, капиталоемкое  и долгосрочное мероприятие, но мы должны и будем бороться за повышение  его конкурентоспособности. Я уверен, что проведение настоящего форума послужит продолжением диалога, выработки предложений  по решению проблем отрасли», - сказал К.Масимов.