en.Wedoany.com Reported - In early July 2026, Kazakhstan Alumina JSC (АО «Алюминий Казахстана»), a subsidiary of Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), officially launched a bauxite vertical mining technology project at its open-pit mine in the East Ayat deposit (Восточно-Аятское месторождение) in Kazakhstan. The project utilizes the rotary drilling method for extraction, marking the first practical application of this technology within ERG.

Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) is a leading diversified natural resources producer headquartered in Luxembourg, with operations spanning Kazakhstan, China, Russia, Brazil, and Africa. Its subsidiary, Kazakhstan Alumina JSC, is the only enterprise in Kazakhstan that produces alumina (the raw material for electrolytic aluminum) from bauxite and limestone. Its ore comes from multiple open-pit mines in the Kostanay and Pavlodar regions.

According to ERG, this vertical mining technology does not replace conventional open-pit mining but serves as a selective supplementary method, particularly suitable for recovering deep ore deposits in already mined areas. Previously, these deep bauxite resources were often abandoned due to the lengthy, costly, and time-consuming process of stripping overburden (i.e., "overburden removal") caused by the great depth of burial. The application of the new technology effectively addresses this challenge.

The core of this technology lies in the BAUER BG 45 hydraulic drilling rig. Equipped with telescopic drill rods and a drilling bucket, this equipment can extract bauxite from depths of up to 100 meters without the need for drilling and blasting operations.

The successful application of this vertical mining technology provides ERG with a new technical pathway for efficiently recovering deep mineral resources. This move not only helps extend the service life of existing mines but also offers a replicable solution for similar mines facing challenges in developing deep resources.