President Mirziyoyev reviews $4.6 billion copper plant construction in Almalyk

The new copper enrichment plant, being built to process high-value ores from the “Yoshlik-1” deposit, represents a major investment in Uzbekistan’s industrial infrastructure. In its first phase, the plant will have the capacity to process 60 million tons of ore annually, resulting in the production of 917,000 tons of copper concentrate and 2,500 tons of molybdenum concentrate. This expansion will create 5,600 new jobs.

Additionally, the plant is designed to streamline logistics through the installation of conveyor systems between all processing units, eliminating the need for manual ore transportation and significantly reducing costs.

By the second phase, the plant's processing capacity will triple to 160 million tons annually. As a result, by 2028, the AMMC will be able to produce 400,000 tons of copper, 50 tons of gold, and 270 tons of silver per year, solidifying its status as one of the world’s largest mining and metallurgical complexes.

“Almalyk’s reserves are vast, with international estimates placing its copper reserves at 45 million tons and gold reserves at over 5,000 tons, making it one of the most significant deposits globally,” noted the official statement.

The expansion is expected to increase the plant’s output more than threefold, with a production value approaching $8 billion. Additionally, 11,000 new high-tech jobs will be created as part of the complex's growth.

The AMMC is currently Uzbekistan’s leader in the extraction of non-ferrous, rare, and precious metals. It accounts for 5% of the country’s gross industrial production and 6% of its industrial exports.