Tajikistan ups H1 gold production 16%, silver 5%
DUSHANBE. July 24 (Interfax) - Tajikistan raised gold production 15.7% year-on-year in H1 2013 to 993.6 kg (31,945 oz), Deputy Energy and Industry Minister Pulod Mukhiddinov told reporters.
Silver production grew 4.9% to 855.5 kg (27,505 oz).
The Chinese-Tajik joint venture Zeravshan, which is 75%-owned by China's ZiJing Mining Group and 25% by he Tajik government, produced 74% of the country's gold in the quarter.
The Canadian-Tajik joint venture Aprelevka, which is 49%-owned by Canada's Gulf International Minerals and 51% by the Tajik government, produced 20% of the country's gold.
Tajikistan has two other gold producers: the state-owned Tajikzoloto and Odina, a private mining outfit owned by a citizen of Tajikistan.
Gold production in Tajikistan grew 7.1% last year to 2.4 tonnes and silver 0.2% to 1.768 tonnes.
The Energy and Industry Ministry forecasts gold production of 3 tonnes and silver at 2 tonnes this year.
Tajikistan has 31 gold deposits with estimated reserves of 675 tonnes Au.