Kazzinc increased zinc output in 2004 to 279,480 tonnes - source

/REUTERS, Almaty, Tatyana Seroshtanova, February 11, 05/ - Kazakhstan biggest zinc producer - Kazzinc OJSC - in year 2004 increased zinc output to 279,480 tonnes from 276,790 tonnes in 2003, a source close to the company as said. Total zinc production in Kazakhstan in 2004 grew up to 316.,515 tonnes from 294,566 tonnes one year before. Company calls Shaymerden mine as the major priority in investment projects in year 2005. In 2004 Kazzinc purchased in Kustanay oblast Shaymerden field confirmed reserves of which were 910,000 tonnes of zinc, average concentration in ore was 21%. "Load of rotary complexes of Ust-Kamenogorsk and Riddersk plants to planned capacity will let get up to 60,000 tonnes of metal zinc a year from Shaymerden ore", - the source says. In the nearest years company plans large building programs at the mine and at Kazzinc's metallurgical complex. "according to the plan first ore at Shaymerden field is to be received in summer of 2006", - company says. Below is dynamics of company's production volumes since 2004 until 1996: ----------------------------------------------------- zinc lead copper gold silver year tonnes tonnes tonnes tr. ounce tr. ounce ---- ------- ------- ------ --------- ---------- 2004 279,480 98,747 66,741 208,398 4,876,072 2003 276,790 88,329 70,696 204,327 6,278,399 2002 266,886 101,104 65,136 183,324 5,644,423 2001 259,285 107,078 59,266 199,900 9,174,478 2000 245,175 133,340 38,724 201,419 11,007,281 1999 229,590 112,045 30,721 173,062 7,388,325 1998 222,344 80,548 30,811 161,857 5,417,789 1997 173,192 71,589 29,637 151,136 2,777,916 1996 155,398 54,802 22,773 75,559 1,109,138 ----------------------------------------------------- Company was founded in 1997 by joining assets of three main companies- producers of non-ferrous metals in East Kazakhstan: Ust-Kamenogorsk lead- zinc combine, Leninogorsk polymetallic combine and Zyryanovsk lead combine. Company also produces refined copper in marketable products, lead, gold, silver. Kazzinc does not reveal its ownership structure, but says its major investor is Glencore International AG international holding specializing in mining industry, non-ferrous metallurgy, power engineering and agriculture. [2005-02-11]