- Pb ISASMELT™ installation to improve environmental performance of lead smelter
- Cu ISASMELT™ and IsaProcess™ installation to establish Kazzinc as copper producer
- Project to contribute to an increase in economic value of product lines and reduction in operations costs
Kazzinc is a major fully integrated zinc producer with considerable Copper, precious metals and Lead credits. All the company's operations are in Kazakhstan, spread over six towns. It employs some 22,000 people in mining, mineral processing, metallurgy and power generation.
Xstrata Technology was selected by Kazzinc to install two new ISASMELT™ plants at the metallurgical complex located at Ust-Kamenogorsk. The Ust-Kamenogorsk metallurgical complex consists of a 180,000 tpy Zinc refinery, a 140,000 tpy lead smelter and a precious metals refinery. The production site is located on the same site as Kazzinc's headquarters, on the edge of the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk, with the three plants sharing a common infrastructure. The Ust-Kamenogorsk New Metallurgy project will add a new lead smelter, a copper smelter and a copper refinery to the complex.
Kazzinc is Eastern Kazakhstan’s largest industrial producer and are constantly seeking improvements to their environmental performance. This project will notably contribute to Kazzinc’s goal of reducing all dust and gas emissions from its metallurgical operations.
Additionally, the new copper smelter and refinery will allow Kazzinc to produce value added refined copper, rather than exporting copper concentrate and blister copper. These new products will improve the economic value of Kazzinc’s product line and reduce transport overheads.
Xstrata Technology expects to commission the new plants in 2009.
Testimonial
"Kazzinc needed creative metallurgical solutions to modernise our smelting and refining complex at Ust-Kamenogorsk. Xstrata technology are providing the solutions we need in terms of a copper ISASMELT™ plant, a lead ISASMELT™ plant and an IsaProcess tankhouse. Kazzinc chose Xstrata Technology based on its record of successful technology transfer that will result in minimal technical risk for our operations while maximising returns on investment through rapid ramp up times. We are glad to be working together on these exciting projects that will transform our operations."
Nick Popovic, President, Kazzinc