By Alimat Aliyeva

Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said that the Chinese company Non-Ferrous Metals Ltd "discussed issues of cooperation in the copper industry with the Chairman of the Board of the company Xi Zengping. The parties signed an agreement on the construction of a sinter plant with a capacity of 300 thousand tons per year near the village of Aktogay in the Abai district, Azernews reports.

According to the agreement, a cluster will be created that will combine one of the world's largest copper mines and modern copper production. The $1.5 billion project will also open more than 1,000 jobs. It is reported that the plant will be put into operation by the end of 2028, and its raw material base will be the Bozshakol and Aktogay mining and processing plants, as well as the processing enterprise Vostoktsvetmet LLC.

The plant in Miseritme will become the largest enterprise in the country and will comply with international environmental standards. It will also meet Kazakhstan's demand for Finnish raw materials and copper cathode. Cathode copper is widely used in the electric power industry, mechanical engineering and industry. In addition, the company will produce refined gold, silver and dipping acid.

"China Non-Ferrous Metal Industry's Foreign Engineering" and "Construction Company Ltd" ("Non—Ferrous China") is a Chinese company engaged in the extraction, selection and smelting of non-ferrous metals and operating in more than 20 countries around the world.