Kazakhmys and a consortium of companies from China National Chemical Engineering Company signed a 213.76 million US dollars EPC contract to build a new sulfuric acid plant at the Zhezkazgan Copper Smelter, Qazinform News Agency cites the company’s press service.
The contract was signed on August 18 in Zhezkazgan between Kazakhmys and a consortium of companies from China National Chemical Engineering Company (CNCEC). The signing ceremony was attended by Kazakhmys Corporation Chairman of the Management Board Ruslan Oskenali, Ulytau region governor Yesset Baiken and CNCEC Chairman Bao Guangdong.
CNCEC, which has international experience in designing and constructing sulfuric acid facilities, including projects in Kazakhstan, will serve as the project’s general contractor. The new plant is part of a broader modernization of the Zhezkazgan Copper Smelter and is aimed at bringing its operations in line with modern environmental standards.
The existing metallurgical gas utilization infrastructure was commissioned in the 1970s and now requires comprehensive technological modernization. The project includes the construction of a new sulfuric acid production facility and an upgrade of the system for capturing and cleaning process gases.
Planned improvements include the installation of converter enclosures, modern cooling towers, electrostatic precipitators and other gas cleaning equipment. The upgraded system will also feature modern automation and process control technologies. Following completion, the facility is expected to achieve a 99 percent process gas capture rate, while the residual concentration of sulfur dioxide in treated gases is to comply with the requirements of international Best Available Techniques Reference Documents (BREF).
The project is expected to significantly reduce SO₂ emissions and lower the environmental impact of the Zhezkazgan Smelter. The new plant will have a designed annual production capacity of 350,000 tons of sulfuric acid and will be capable of processing up to 300,000 normal cubic meters of process gases per hour.
The facility is preliminarily scheduled to be commissioned in 2028. The construction of the new sulfuric acid plant is primarily an investment in Zhezkazgan’s environmental safety and the long-term sustainability of the enterprise. We are modernizing production with a view to the decades ahead.
It is fundamentally important for us not only to build a modern facility, but also to ensure the declared environmental performance, high quality of work and compliance with the project schedule, Oskenali said. Following the signing of the contract, the project will enter its active implementation phase.
Full-scale mobilization and preparatory work at the production site are scheduled to begin by the end of 2026, while construction and installation works are expected to take around 29 months. The construction of the new sulfuric acid plant is part of a long-term modernization program for the Zhezkazgan Copper Smelter.
The project is expected to improve the reliability of the gas cleaning system, bring production in line with modern environmental requirements and create a foundation for the sustainable operation of one of Kazakhstan’s key metallurgical enterprises.