Azerbaijan's AzerGold boosts precious metals processing with new plant

The carbon-in-leach (CIL) plant of AzerGold CJSC built at the Chovdar Integrated Regional Processing Site (CHIRPS) in the Dashkasan district has reached its full operational capacity.

According to Report, Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov, along with key officials from the Ministry of Economy, AzerGold CJSC, and the Dashkasan district, visited the plant to witness firsthand the advanced CIL technology being used to process precious metal ores. The delegation was joined by Professor Juan Jimenez from Harvard University's Kennedy School and researchers from the Harvard Center for International Development.

The plant, which required an investment of 383 million manats from AzerGold's internal reserves, aims to enhance the efficiency of processing precious metal ores mined from gold deposits in the Dashkasan and Goygol districts. Its construction has contributed to regional employment, creating an additional 101 permanent jobs and bringing the total number of local residents employed under the Chovdar project to nearly 2,400.

Since commencing mining operations at the Chovdar gold deposit in 2017, AzerGold has conducted extensive geological research, resulting in increased gold reserves and the discovery of the Agyokhush group of gold deposits and the Merah gold deposit. The Tulallar gold deposit, identified as a potential ore formation zone in the 1980s, has also been thoroughly explored using modern techniques. Consequently, all three deposits have been put into operation, and the saleable gold reserves at the Chovdar mine have increased from 179,000 to 609,000 ounces, extending the mine's lifespan until 2029. With the inclusion of flank deposits, the total gold reserves have reached 778,000 ounces.

The new plant, built on a 535-hectare site, is designed to implement an optimal ore processing workflow. With an annual ore grinding capacity of 1.1 million tons, the plant is expected to achieve gold extraction rates of up to 90%, depending on the composition and metallurgical characteristics of the ore.

Safety and environmental standards have been strictly adhered to throughout the project's implementation. The State Environmental Expertise Agency of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has confirmed that the production processes comply with environmental norms and standards. The plant has also implemented an appropriate management system to ensure occupational safety and employee health.

The CIL technology at CHIRPS was designed based on a British company's technological blueprint and implemented under the supervision of a Korean company. The plant, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment from Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, and Türkiye, and the auxiliary infrastructure, constructed with the involvement of a Turkish company as the main contractor, were completed within 22 months.

The full-capacity operation of this new plant is expected to contribute to the region's socio-economic development and boost Azerbaijan's precious metals export potential.