DUSHANBE, October 29, 2012, Asia-Plus /Avaz Yuldoshev/ -- On Sunday October 28, President Emomali Rahmon visited the Tajik-Canadian gold-mining joint venture Aprelevka, which is located in the Konsoi settlement, Sughd province, the president’s official website reports.

The Tajik-Canadian gold-mining joint venture Aprelevka was established in the Sughd province of Tajikistan in 1995.  The company is engaged in mining and processing of ores at Aprelevka, Kyzyl-Cheku, Burgunda, Ekiljon and other small deposits in northern Tajikistan.  Dore alloy is the finished product of this enterprise.  Tajikistan owns 51 percent of the shares and the Canadian side assumes the 49% ownership interest in the joint-stock company Aprelevka.

According to the president’s website, 850 people now work with the company and Aprelevka now produces 450 kilograms of gold and 1,500 kilograms of silver per year.  100 million U.S. dollars are expected to be invested in development of the company and exploration of new deposits until 2015 that will allow increasing annual gold production to 1,000 tons and annual silver production to 3,000 kilograms.  The number of personnel will be increased to 1,200-1,300 people.

Aprelevka reportedly makes considerable contribution to the country’s national budget and it allocates up to 1 million somoni per year for improvement of the Konsoi settlement.

While in Konsoi, the president also inaugurated a small jewelry enterprise, Zari Tojik (Tajik Gold).  The enterprise has created more than 40 jobs, primarily for women.  Within the next eight months, the number of jobs is expected to be increased to 200, the source said.