A new environmentally friendly plant was set up on the premises of Karabashmed (part of Russian Copper Company) in 2006, reports the company’s press officer.

The plant employs the most advanced equipment made by the best producers, like, for example, one Ausmelt furnace made in Austria; the furnace produces blister copper from ore concentrate and slag.

The new facility has already increased the company’s production output by 50,000 tons of blister copper a year; the figure now comes to 90,000 tons. The project took seven years (1999-2006) and $130 million to be completed. This year, Karabashmed is to undergo the second stage of reconstruction, which means that in 2008-2009 the plant will be capable of producing up to 190,000 tons of blister copper annually. The restoration plans include putting up a new blending complex, an oxygen plant, a sulfuric acid shop, and the dust-processing unit. These facilities require $112 million worth of investments and are expected to be launched in 2008.