DUSHANBE, April 17, 2013, Asia-Plus  -- Over the first quarter of this year, Tajikistan has produced 429 kilograms of gold, which is 109 kilograms more than in the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI).

“Over the same three-month period, Tajikistan has produced 501 kilograms of silver, which is 95 kilograms more than in the same period last year,” an official source at a MoEI said.

Tajik-Chinese joint venture, Zeravshan Gold Company (ZGC), remains Tajikistan’s largest gold producer.  The enterprise has accounted for 74 percent of gold produced in January-March this year.  Tajik-Canadian gold-mining joint venture, Aprelevka, has accounted for 20 percent and the remaining 6 percent have been produced by Tilloi Tojik (state-run gold mining enterprise) and the private gold-mining artel, Odina.

In 2012, Tajikistan produced 2,400.9 kilograms of gold (160.80 kilograms more than in 2011) and 1,767 kilograms of silver (3.10 kilograms more than in 2011).

Tajikistan has 28 known gold deposits containing an estimated 429.3 tons of gold.  The largest amount of gold was produced in Tajikistan in 1998 – 3,000 kilograms; while in recent years, the country has produced annually some 2,000 kilograms.  Most of gold comes from the Jilau deposit operated by ZGC.

Three large gold mining companies now operate in Tajikistan: Tilloi Tojik; Tajik-Chinese JV Zeravshan Gold Company (ZGC); and Tajik-Canadian JV Aprelevka.

ZGC owns gold mining and exploration rights to a 300,000-hectare area near the town of Panjakent in Sughd province; Tilloi Tojik (formerly JV Darvaz) produces gold from its alluvial operation at the Yakhsou deposit, located in Khatlon province in southern Tajikistan; and Tajik-Canadian gold-mining joint venture, Aprelevka, is engaged in mining and processing of ores at Aprelevka, Qyzyl-Cheku, Burgunda, Ekiljon and other small deposits in Sughd province.

Besides, there are private gold mining artel, Odina, operating in Khatlon province and Tacom Gold.

Tacom Gold has received two licenses from the government to explore placer gold reserves: the Sariob goldfield, which is located in the Danghara district (Khatlon province) and has possible gold reserves of 1.5 tons; and the Bandisariob gold field, which is located in the Tavildara district (Rasht Valley) and has possible gold reserves of more than 5 tons.