DUSHANBE, July 26, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Tajikistan’s State Committee on Investment and State-owned Property Management (GosKomInvest) and Tajik-Sino Mining Company have signed an agreement on development of a lead and zinc deposit located in the Tajik northern province of Sughd.

According to GosKomInvest, the document was signed in Dushanbe this week and under this agreement, Tajik-Sino Mining Company will invest 200 million U.S. dollars in development of the Zarnisori Shimoli (Northern Zarnisor) deposit, which is located in the Mastchoh district, within the next four years.

The company reportedly commits itself to build a polymetal-processing enterprise with capacity of processing 2 million tons of ore a year and a metallurgical plant with capacity of processing 20,000 tons of lead a year.

China Global LTD purchased the Altyn-Topkan mine by auction and the limited liability company, Tajik-Sino Mining Company, was established on the basis of the mine in 2006.  The company with an authorized capital stock of 103.2 million somoni was registered with the Ministry of Justice on October 1, 2007.

Tajik-Sino Mining Company is located in the settlement of Zarnisor, which is subordinate to the city of Qaitroqqum, Sughd province.  1,682 people, including 104 Tajik nationals, work for Tajik-Sino Mining Company at an average monthly wage of 2,170 somoni.  The enterprise was granted licenses for development of the lead and zinc deposits Altyn-Topkan and Pay-Buloq.

According to an agreement signed between Tajik Ministry of Energy and Industries and China Global LTD, the Chinese company has invested 30 million U.S. dollars in construction of an ore-dressing plant and development of Pay-Buloq and Altyn-Topkan deposits in 2007-2010.  The first line of the ore-dressing plant was introduced into operation in June 2009.