DUSHANBE, October 5, 2015, Asia-Plus – The Main Geology Directorate under the Government is reportedly satisfied with findings of exploration of the Hirskhona gold deposit, which is located in the Tajik northern province of Sughd.

According to the Main Geology Directorate press center, the Main Geology Directorate head Murod Khol recently met in the northern city of Panjakent with senior representatives of the Tajik-Chinese joint gold mining venture, The Zeravshan Gold Company (ZGC), which is operating this deposit.

They reportedly discussed issues related to exploration operations carried out at the Khriskhona gold deposit.

“It is still premature to speak about possible gold reserves of the Khirskhona deposit,” an official source at the Main Geology Directorate told Asia-Plus in an interview.

We will recall that the Main Geology Directorate noted in 2013 that the Khriskhona deposit has possible gold reserves of up to 10 tons.  Specialists say one ton of the deposit’s ore contains 2-3 grams of gold.

The Zeravshan Gold Company was founded in 1994 a joint venture with Nelson Resources Ltd (44%) and the Tajikistan government (51%) and the IFC (5%).  In September, 2002, Avocet Mining plc of the UK signed a heads of agreement to acquire the Tajik gold assets of Toronto-based Nelson Resources Ltd held through Nelson''s subsidiary, Commonwealth and British Minerals Ltd. The assets included a 44% interest in Zeravshan Gold.  In June 2007, China’s Zijin Mining acquired a 75 per cent stake in the gold producer.  Tajikistan now owns 25 percent of the shares and Zijin Mining assumes the 75% ownership interest in the company.