Kazakhstan's Akbakay Gold Mine Plans to Invest Over US$200 Million in Building a Processing Plant

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 24, Kazakh gold producer AK Altynalmas disclosed progress in process testing of refractory gold ore at the Akbakay mining complex. Using Albion Process technology, the test gold recovery rate reached 92% to 95%, higher than the approximately 75% recovery rate of the existing production system. The company plans to invest more than US$200 million to build a new gold extraction plant with a designed annual ore processing capacity of 2.4 million tonnes, and expects to reach the planned capacity in 2031.

The mining complex established a research center for comprehensive recovery of mineral resources in June 2026 to conduct processing tests on different types of refractory ores and concentrates. This research focuses on the applicability of Albion Process technology, testing gold recovery performance by adjusting processing conditions and process parameters for different ores. The current recovery rate of 92% to 95% comes from process tests, while the mine's existing production system still maintains a recovery level of approximately 75%.

According to the implementation schedule announced by the company, the new plant is scheduled to start engineering design in early 2027, complete design in the third quarter of 2028, and complete construction in the third quarter of 2030, followed by equipment commissioning and trial operation. After the plant reaches its planned capacity, it is expected to produce up to 115,000 ounces of gold per year, equivalent to approximately 3.58 tonnes.

The research center currently has 51 professional staff, including engineering technical personnel, laboratory personnel, and mine production personnel. Before the end of 2026, the testing work will mainly target ore resources from the company's own mines; starting from 2027, the research scope is planned to expand to refractory ores and concentrates from other deposits in Kazakhstan. The relevant process test results will be used for the subsequent design of the new plant and the selection of production technology solutions.