CHAARAT Gold Holdings expects to complete a feasibility study for the Tulkubash Heap Leach Project in the Kyrgyz Republic during the current quarter. The study will include an updated resource estimate for the oxide zone incorporating assay results from the 2017 drilling program.

KENADYR Mining’s 2017 drilling program at the Borubai Gold Project in the Kyrgyz Republic has demonstrated that significant mineralisation continues to the east and south of the Zijin-KyrgyzAltyn Mining Lease. Kenadyr’s tenements surround the TBL gold mine, which is operated by Zijin Mining.

CAMECO Corporation has restructured Joint Venture Inkai LLP which operates the Inkai Uranium Project in Kazakhstan. The restructure will result in increased annual production of 10.4 million pounds of uranium from 5.2 million pounds.

WHITE Cliff Minerals will use the assay results from its 2017 drilling program at the Aucu Gold Project in the Kyrgyz Republic to update a resource estimate. The company is 3D modelling the mineralisation in order to prepare the estimate.

LEADING Russian mining and metals company Mechel PAO has signed a protocol of intent aiming to develop ties between Mechel-Steel Management Company OOO and Kyrgyz Republic national company Kyrgyz Temir Zholu. The two parties intend to build systematic cooperation, including exchanging product information.

KAZ Minerals has received approval for a US$1.2 billion expansion program at Aktogay Copper Project in Kazakhstan. This will double annual sulphide ore processing capacity to 50 million tonnes from 2021 through construction of a second concentrator.

CHAARAT Gold Holdings has achieved full local permitting from the Kyrgyz Republic Government for its Tulkubash Heap Leach Project. A licence agreement confirms approval for the plan to take stages one and two of the Chaarat Gold Project, which includes Tulkubash, to production.

WITH production from Central Asia Metals’ (CAM) Kounrad Copper Project in Kazakhstan continuing, the company has stepped up efforts to identify further copper deposits in the Central Asian country. To this end it has been drilling at the Shuak exploration project, which is about 300km north of the capital, Astana.

WHITE Cliff Minerals has finalised a drilling contract with Geostandart LLC for drilling at the Quartz Zone of its Aucu Gold Project in Kyrgyz Republic. Drilling will begin after access tracks and drill pads are completed.

KENADYR Mining has received excellent results from the first two holes drilled into the Borubai Gold Project in the Kyrgyz Republic. The first hole returned 40 metres from 638 metres @ 6.17 g/t gold in the South Zone and the second returned 50 metres from 151 metres @ 8.15 g/t in the East Zone.

ORSU Metals Corporation is dependent upon completing the sale of its Karchiga Copper Project in Kazakhstan before it can satisfy a share purchase agreement (SPA) to acquire the Sergeevskoe Gold Project in eastern Russia. With the Karchiga sale to Karasat Trading FZE not closing as expected on February 15, Orsu has negotiated an amendment to the SPA.

WHITE Cliff Minerals has engaged consultants to complete a new resource estimate for the Aucu Gold Project in the Kyrgyz Republic. The new estimate is expected to add to the existing resource of 1.2 million tonnes @ 4.2 g/t for 156,000 ounces of gold.

CENTERRA Gold will begin a three year construction program to raise the tailings dam at the Kumtor Gold Project in the Kyrgyz Republic to the 3674 metre elevation after receiving the relevant permits from Kyrgyz authorities. The project will provide adequate tailings storage capacity for mill tailings deposition from 2021 until the end of 2024.

CHAARAT Gold Holdings will use US$15 million raised by issuing short term senior secured convertible loan notes to advance its Tulkubash Heap Leach Project in the Kyrgyz Republic. The company is moving in to the first phase of development at Tulkubash, which forms part of the larger Chaarat Gold Project in the country’s west.

CENTRAL Asia Metals (CAM) is acquiring an 80% interest in the subsoil use contract for the Shuak copper exploration property in northern Kazakhstan from local company GRK-Aksu. CAM intends to invest US$2 million in exploration activities.

PRODUCTION of the first saleable copper concentrate from sulphide ore at KAZ Minerals’ Aktogay project in Kazakhstan is expected by the end of the March quarter of 2017. The AIM-listed company is also ramping up production at Bozshakol after commissioning of the clay plant.

A VISIT by White Cliff Minerals managing director Todd Hibberd to Aucu Gold Project in the Kyrgyz Republic has resulted in visible gold being identified in a quartz outcrop. The company has planned an additional drilling program to target the quartz veins.

A NEW agreement between Cameco Corporation, Joint Stock Company National Atomic Company Kazatomprom and Joint Venture Inkai LLP will result in a restructure of JV Inkai, which operates a uranium mine in south Kazakhstan. It will result in a doubling of annual uranium production to 4000 tonnes, or 10.4 million pounds of U3O8 as well as possible construction of a uranium refinery.

THREE new mineralised zones have been identified while bulldozing roads at White Cliff Minerals’ Aucu Gold Project in the Kyrgyz Republic. The new gold zones are approximately four, seven, and seventeen metres wide and visible gold was panned from a 1kg sample taken from the widest zone.

AFTER completing a scoping study for the Taldybulak Gold-Copper Project in the Kyrgyz Republic Tengri Resources has decided not to proceed with development of the project. The decision also encompasses the nearby Andash project.