BATEMAN has been awarded a US$197,8M contract to revamp and modernise
a gold-recovery complex for the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Kombinat
in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The complex will involve the No. 3 Hydrometallurgical
plant, where a flotation process will be introduced, and the expansion
of mining facilities at the Kokpatas and Daugystau gold deposits in
the Kyzylkum desert. The proposed complex will process 5 Mt/yr of ore
to produce 20 t/yr of gold.
The project will be funded by a structured finance package facilitated
by BATEMAN. Export-credit agencies in the USA (EXIM), RSA (ECIC), Israel
(IFTRIC) and Germany (HERMES) will insure 85 % of the total contract
value with the remainder being funded by commercial loan facilitated
by BATEMAN.
This lump-sum project has two components covering the provision of
the process package for the Uchkuduk plant and the associated equipment
for all three sites.
The process package primarily covers the flotation and bio-oxidation
circuits. BATEMAN will supply the flotation technology to recover gold-containing
sulphides into flotation concentrate which will be directed to the bio-
oxidation circuit. Bacteria will be used to promote the oxidation of
the sulphides in the gold ore in the bio-oxidation section of the plant,
after which it will be treated conventionally. Biomin, part of the Goldfields
group, will supply the process package for the bioleach section.
BATEMAN will undertake the detailed engineering design and equipment
procurement and supply to site, with the client handling the construction
under BATEMAN supervision. The commissioning of the plant will be done
by BATEMAN in association with the technology suppliers.
After completion of the financial arrangements, the contract should
become effective by October 2002 with the first deliveries to site commencing
six months later and work completed in two years. Commissioning the
plant is scheduled towards the end of 2006.
The project was awarded on the basis of BATEMAN’s engineering
capability and ability to facilitate the required finance, together
with its extensive project experience in Uzbekistan. BATEMAN is currently
engaged on a US$160M lump-sum turnkey project for a booster gas-compression
facility in the Shurtan gas field in the south of the country and it
was the main contractor for a recovery plant installed at Muruntau for
the joint venture between Zarafshan and Newmont which went on stream
in 1995. This involved a very large crushing, screening and heap-leaching
operation to extract gold previously considered uneconomic to recover.
BATEMAN, a global company, owned jointly by management and an international
investment group, is one of the world’s leading solutions providers
for creating wealth through the conversion of natural resources to marketable
products.
BATEMAN’s skills include all aspects of gold-process plants and
the raising of finance for projects. BATEMAN’s global presence
on all five continents ensures that the sourcing of equipment for the
project is optimised while the practical experience of its staff in
CIS countries ensures the design and construction of the plant will
best suit local conditions.
Kindly contact Pieter du Plessis, Managing Director, Bateman Minerals,
on +27 11 899 2954 or email pietdup@batepro.co.za
for more information.
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