DUSHANBE, February 22, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- The Tajik authorities plan to announce tenders for exploration and development of a number of gold deposits in the northern Sughd province and Gorno Badakhshan, the source at the State Committee for Investments and State-owned Property Management (GosKomInvest), said.

According to him, international tenders will be announced this year for development of the Chore Kanchoch deposits in Sughd’s Ayni district as well as for exploration of the Gumas and Ikar deposits in Gorno Badakhshan.

“Chore is the gold deposit while Kanchoch has reserves of gold, silver, antimony, mercury and some other minerals,” the source said.

The Gumas gold deposit is located in the Vanj district of Gorno Badakhshan and the Ikar tungsten-gold deposit is located in the Bajou area, the Rushan district of Gorno Badakhshan.

Tajikistan has 28 known gold deposits containing an estimated 429.3 tons of gold.  The largest amount of gold was produced in Tajikistan in 1998 – 3,000 kilograms, while in recent years the country has produced annually not more than 1,800 kilograms.  Most of gold comes from the Jilau deposit operated by Tajik-Chinese JV Zeravshan Gold Company (ZGC).

Three large gold mining companies now operate in Tajikistan: Tilloi Tojik; ZGC; and Tajik-Canadian JV Aprelevka.  Besides, the private gold mining artel, Odina, operates in Khatlon province.