Copper company wants to build zinc plant in Kazakhstan

/IRBIS, Jan.06, 00/ - REUTERS informs, with the reference to the head of public relations department of the company Vladislav Nikolaev, Kazakhstani copper corporation Kazakhmys plans to build zinc plant with 120 th. tons of metal zinc a year by the end of next year. "By the end of next year - 2001 - we plan to complete the construction of a plant, which was started in late 1999. Estimate capacity is 120 th. tons of metal zinc a year", he said to REUTERS from Jezkazgan. He says zinc plant will be built on the territory of Balkhash mining and smelting combine (BMSC) in central Kazakhstan using corporation's own resources. He did not give specific numbers. He also said they would try to built with their own resources to make it as cheap as possible. Empty workshop of BMSC will be used. The most expensive part of the project is purchasing of imported equipment. The corporation produces zinc concentrate in addition to copper. This material is sufficient in Eastern Kazakhstan where it has its branch - VostokKazmed'. For example, last year Kazakhmys produced 95,857 tons of concentrated zinc. The biggest producer of zinc in Kazakhstan is Kazzinc. Nikolaev said they would not try to compete with Kazzinc. The corporation was established in 1997 on the basis of Jezkazgantsvetmet and incorporates a number of plants, mines, energy sources, which are controlled by South Korean Samsung and 35% belongs to the state.