The authorities of Kyrgyzstan have decided to temporarily ban the export of gold ores from the country.
President Sadyr Zhaparov signed a decree on the introduction of a temporary ban on the export of gold ore and gold concentrate from Kyrgyzstan from May next year, the press service of the Kyrgyz President reported.
The export ban will be introduced from May 1, 2023 and is valid for six months.
The only state enterprise in Kyrgyzstan for the processing of gold-bearing ores, Kara-Balta Mining Plant OJSC, is granted the exclusive right to process gold-bearing ore and gold-bearing concentrate mined and produced in the territory of Kyrgyzstan.
At the same time, the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan was instructed to extend, in accordance with the established procedure, a temporary ban on the export of ores every six months, starting from November 1, 2023.
The main gold mining company in Kyrgyzstan is the Kumtor mine, which came under government control in 2021. It has its own ore processing plant and gold mining. Kumtor annually produces about 15-17 tons of pure gold from ore.
In addition to Kumtor, there are many small gold mining companies in Kyrgyzstan, some of which export gold ore outside the country to extract gold. In particular, to Kazakhstan and China.
inozPRESS.kg,
Oct. 26, 2022