Exploration

Regional and geological/photographic operations:
Primary types of regional geological survey are additional geological survey of fields and geoligcal and minerogenic mapping at the scale of 1:200000. These types of activities form the foundation underlying creation of the geological maps, identification of promising fields, with assessment of estimated mineral resources, which constitute the basis of identification and exploration of new deposits of natural resources.
Only over the last three years, 104 new promising fields have been identified with increased content of various kinds of mineral resources — ferrous, non-ferrous, rare and noble metals. By promising fields, the following reserves are estimated: gold — 2.3 thousand tn, copper — 29.3 mln tn, lead — 23.2 mln tn, zinc — 46.6 mln tn, stannum — 13.0 thousand tn, iron ore — 3.0 bln tn., manganese ore — 81.5 mln tn, chromite ore — 390.0 bln tn. The estimated value of reserves is many times greater than the cost of regional geological survey works.

Exploratory assessment works:
Over the last five years, 3 deposits of polymetals have been located, 4 gold deposits, 1 rare metal deposits. This led to a growth in reserves of gold at 57.2 tons, copper at 829.6 thousand tons, lead at 116.8 thousand tons, zinc at 560.2 thousand tons, silver at 1174.3 tons, stannum at 3655 tons, tantalum and niobium. Geologic exploration works cost 626500 thousand tenge, and the resultant value of the in-place resources totals at 1169000 million tenge.
Currently, exploratory and assessment activities are undertaken on 12 sites. Plans for the nearest years include exploratory and exploratory-assessment works for noble, non-ferrous and rare metals on 20–25 promising sites in all of the regions of Kazakhstan.

Applied research:

  • scientific rationale of the forecast methods, search and evaluation of natural resource deposits, creating forecast/exploration technologies of new generation, transitioning to the world-class quality;
  • refinement of metallogenic analysis through the prism of new theoretical knowledge and methodological approaches;
  • design and publication of maps of estimated ore fields, with the use of computer technologies;
  • supplying the geological exploration sector with new equipment, machinery and technologies that meet world standards.

On average, research is undertaken for 12–15 projects every year. For every completed research project, the concluding opinion is published, as well as recommendations for additional geological studies.