DUSHANBE, September 19, Asia-Plus - The joint gold-mining venture “Darvaz” has purchased new technological equipment to increase its production capacity, according to information from the Ministry of Industry.  

A source in the ministry says the enterprise intends to replace the old equipment with the new one during the next month.  

“The new equipment has been purchased from Russia’s open joint-stock company “Magadan Mechanical Plant” for US$150,000,” said the source, “The funds have been provided by the Ministry of Industry.”  

The source says, “At present JV “Darvaz” intends to replace one of its line to test the new equipment.”  Experts believe new equipment will enable the enterprise to increase production of gold.  

In the meantime, the Ministry of Industry is currently preparing all necessary documents to bring action against British “Gold and Mineral Excavation” to Tajikistan’s High Economic Court asking to remove it from the JV.   According to the Ministry of Industry, “Gold and Mineral Excavation”, which assumes the 49% ownership interest in the enterprise, in 2000 got out of the enterprise’s activity for unknown reasons and left Tajikistan.   

NOTES: JV “Darvaz” produces gold from its alluvial operation at the Yakhsu deposit, located in the Khatlon province in southern Tajikistan.  Tajikistan owns 51 percent of the shares and the UK-based Gold and Mineral Excavation assumes the 49% ownership interest in the joint-stock company Darvaz.  Tajikistan has 28 known gold deposits containing an estimated more than 400 tons.  At present three gold extraction joint ventures are operating in Tajikistan – “Zeravshan”, “Aprelevka” and “Darvaz”.  At present Tajikistan produces just 2.1 tons of gold, most of which comes from the Jilau deposit operated by Zeravshan Gold Company (ZGC).