The initial start has been given to the Concentrator Plant equipment of Udokan Mining and Processing Plant in the course of the Eastern Economic Forum. This is how the Plant saw its first concentrate produced.
The initial start has been given to the Concentrator Plant equipment of Udokan Mining and Processing Plant in the course of the Eastern Economic Forum. This is how the Plant saw its first concentrate produced.
Mr. Vladimir Putin – President of the Russian Federation – joined in the start-up ceremony via video link from Vladivostok.
Construction of the advanced copper ore mining & processing plant at the Russia’s largest copper deposit in Zabaikalye started in 2019. The Project is being delivered as part of the “Zabaikalye” TPD initiative (Territory of Priority Development) (amount of investment – over ₽230 billion). The Plant throughput shall reach up to 15 MTPA of ore to produce 150K tons of copper.
The Project became a bigtime undertaking to be accomplished under the “Project Financing Factory” Program of VEB.RF. The “Factory” instruments let minimize the impact of economic factors, including the key rate growth, on the Project. In partnership with SBER, VEB.RF has been financing the construction of Stage I Plant for 4 years.
“This is a tangible project for Zabaykalsky Krai, it will jump-start the social & economic development of the entire region. Its implementation will translate into creation of new jobs with competitive wages and boost the local people’s welfare level. Starting Stage II Plant, as is planned for 2028, will allow us to more than triple the Plant throughput and propel it to Top-10 of the world’s copper producers”, – said Alexander Vedyakhin.
Development of Udokan Project has a significant social impact on Zabaykalsky Krai – the Project is expected to create about 3.5 thous. of new jobs with wages far exceeding the average pay in the region, and up to 20 thous. of jobs in allied industries.
Starting as early as the license acquisition, the Company has been contributing to social & economic development of the area. Over ₽2.5 billion has already been issued by our shareholders in support of education, healthcare, sport, culture, local area development.
The Plant was constructed in adverse highland and climatic conditions – the Processing Plant buildings are located at 1,600 meters above grade. The ambient temperature in winter around the Transbaikal falls below 50°C. The construction area lies within the permafrost zone.
Development of the Udokan deposit itself had started back in August of 2020. The works are in progress at two areas of “Zapadny”open-pit, as high in the mountains as about 2 thous. meters. Today’s production output is around 6.5 million tons. The pit has been prepared for commercial operation.
Besides the construction of production plant facilities, Udokan Project has simultaneously deployed a transportation and energy infrastructure.
Among other things, the production will be supported by a newly constructed motor road, two substations of about 200MW, and a 25km power transmission line. Fully prepared stands the entire support infrastructure: water and heat supply facilities, on-site utilities. A 10K m3/day water intake facility has been put into operation.
The construction effort took almost 350K m3 of reinforced concrete, 58K tons of steel structures, and 4K km of cabling and wiring.
Putting Udokan Plant into operation will be completed in two major phases. The first thing to do is start the two lines of comminution and concentration of the Conc Plant, and next – all the process lines of the Hydro Plant.
The Conc Plant is a part of the Process Plant enclosing three areas – ore crushing, milling, and flotation. Its output is sulphide concentrate – a sales product sought-after in both Russia and foreign markets.
Stage I operation will engage the first comminution equipment train and all of the bulk and sulphide flotation facility.
Stage II Plant is expected to be started in 2028, and its throughput will be 24-28 MTPA of ore. Stage I and Stage II shall handle up to 50 million tons of ore and produce about 450K tons of copper.
