MMC is the key sphere of Kazakhstan economy

Vth Anniversary-Year International Mining and Metallurgical Congress "Astana Mining & Metallurgy" was held in the Independence Palace in the City of Astana on June 12-13, 2014.

The day before June 11, within the framework of АММ 2014, the 95th Meeting of the International Organizing Committee of the Global Mining Congress was held, which gathered 43 recognized experts from 16 world countries. The meeting was dedicated to discussion of matters related to preparation for the Global Mining Congress, which will be held in Astana in 2018. All foreign participants noted the high level of the AMM Congress organization as well as of Astana infrastructure and were pleasantly surprised at the scale of the AMM Congress.

In his speech before the participants of the AMM 2014 Congress, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Karim Massimov emphasized the significance of mining and metallurgical complex (MMC) of Kazakhstan: "Kazakhstan MMC is one of the key spheres of the country's economy, the share of which in the total structure of industrial production makes up 18%. This industry employs over 300 thousand people. Effective work is performed by the Council for Mining and Metallurgical Industry, Geology and Subsoil Use, Solid Mineral Deposits under the President of the RK. The Council is entrusted with the task of determining strategic directions for development of the mining and metallurgical industry, geology and subsoil use as well as with the task on cooperation with strategic companies. Due to implementation of the State Program on the Forced Industrial and Innovation Development in the Mining and Metallurgical Industry, 50 new productions have been introduced. This year we plan on launching seven more projects". The Prime Minister also informed that the Government approved the Comprehensive Plan of the Mining and Metallurgical Industry Development by 2018.

Besides the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Plenary Meeting of the АММ 2014 was attended by Michael Karmis, Director of the Virginia Centre for Coal and Energy Research (USA), Robert Oberhänsli, President of the International Union of Geological Sciences, José Fernando Coura, President of the IBRAM Brazilian Mining Association, Alper Akdeniz, Managing Partner for Central Asia Region, PwC. The total number of Congress participants made up 1,247 persons from 30 countries, the AMM Forum was visited by 706 delegates, and the major event of the MMC in Kazakhstan was covered by 37 mass media organizations.

The main goal of the AMM 2014 Congress was "Modernization as a major factor of the MMC development in conditions of unstable global markets". The AMM 2014 covered all issues relating to the full cycle of production processes: from geological exploration, ore production, dressing and processing to manufacture of the high-technology products.

During the round table discussion "Energy Efficiency as a tool for the MMC modernization" Albert Rau, First Vice Minister of the Industry and New Technologies of the RK, informed that today 50 leading enterprises in Kazakhstan, mainly enterprises of the mining and metallurgical sector, consume around 40 per cent of all energy resources of the country. At the same time, each of these enterprises has the potential to reduce the energy consumption by 30-40 per cent. If these 50 enterprises of the country reduce their energy consumption by 25 per cent, this will immediately enable a 10 per cent saving of energy resources. Hence, the Government made a decision to improve the relevant legislation.

Bazarbai Nurabaev, Chairman of the Committee of Geology and Subsoil Use of the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of the RK, during the AMM 2014 informed about the reserves of mineral resources in Kazakhstan, and that the Program of Geological Exploration Works in 2015-2019 is expected to result in an increase of inferred resources of gold, copper, polymetals. Over the last 13 years, Kazakhstan has attracted 8 trillion tenges of investments into the sphere of subsoil use.

Mr. Nurubaev also informed about the establishment of a geological cluster in Kazakhstan: "With the purpose of developing the applied geological science and personnel training under the guidance of the Nazarbayev University, we will implement the project on establishment of a geological cluster of the RK consisting of the following elements: School of Mining, Institute of Geosciences (in partnership with Colorado School of Mines), and the Centre of Geological Research of the RK in cooperation with Kazgeology National Exploration Company JSC. The main directions of the geological cluster activity will be airspace research, geology, hydrogeology and geophysics, geochemistry and laboratory research, modelling and estimation of reserves, field developments, test output and experimental tests. Establishment of the geological cluster will promote the efficient use of personnel, technological and information resources for geological survey of subsurface resources, development and introduction of innovation technologies, new scientific goals".

Vth Anniversary International Mining and Metallurgical Exhibition AMM 2014 was traditionally held within the framework of the Forum. Its opening was attended by: Albert Rau, First Vice Minister of the Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nikolay Radostovets, Executive Director of the Association of Mining and Metallurgical Enterprises, Asylbek Nuralin, Chairman of the Republican Trade Union of Workers of Mining and Metallurgical Industry, Yuri Borodikhin, Director of Iteca.

In the course of negotiations during the 1st Session of the work group "Republic of Kazakhstan– VOLKSWAGEN AG", which also was held within the АММ 2014, the parties discussed the matters of mutually beneficial cooperation between the German corporation and Kazakhstan metallurgical enterprises. Albert Rau, First Vice-Minister of the Industry and New Technologies of the RK, had a meeting with representatives of VOLKSWAGEN AG, and expressed the willingness of Kazakhstan for active trading and economic cooperation.

Also, the Forum held several other specialized events, such as:

• Forum "Swedish Innovative Technologies for the MMC";
• 2nd Kazakhstan Conference on Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Scrap;
• Round table discussion "Modernization of Mining and Metallurgical Enterprises within the Productivity-2020 Program";
• Round table discussion "Personnel for the MMC";
• Round table discussion on establishment of the consortium of gold mining companies.

The Congress ended with the solemn ceremony of awarding winners of the "Golden Hephaestus" National Industry Competition, victory in which is seen as the recognition of achievements of enterprises and specialists in the sphere of mining, geology and metallurgy, and every year it unites geologists, miners, metallurgists, power engineers, scientists, professors, students and journalists. Title Partner of the Congress is the Eurasian Group LLC. The Golden Hephaestus statues were awarded to 12 best nominees.

The main partner of the АММ 2014 is Kazzinc Company – major integrated zinc producer with a large share of ancillary production of copper, precious metals and lead.

Congress organizers: Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Iteca Exhibition Company of Kazakhstan and its international partner ITE Group Plc (Great Britain).