Kazakhstan's Kazakhmys to invest $39 mln to modernize production, utilities infrastructure of minesKazakhmys plans to allocate approximately 19 billion tenge [$38.8 million at the current exchange rate] to improve the production and utilities infrastructure of its mines, the corporation said following a series of management meetings with workers at production sites in the Zhezkazgan region.As specified, 6.7 billion tenge has been allocated to repair mobile equipment to ensure the stable operation of production units.The company has decided to focus on purchasing equipment from leading global manufacturers, abandoning equipment that has proven unsatisfactory, when upgrading its mining equipment fleet, with 9.9 billion tenge allocated for this purpose to purchase 19 mobile drilling rigs. Delivery of eight drilling rigs is expected by the end of the year.Additionally, 25 ambulances worth 2.5 billion tenge have been purchased for production sites, with delivery expected by the end of the year.Repairs are planned for the utility building of shaft No. 65 and a major overhaul of the roof of the 2,900 square meter administrative and amenity building at the South Zhezkazgan mine. Repairs will be carried out on the administrative and amenity building and the heated walkway of shafts No. 73-75 at the West Zhezkazgan mine.Kazakh media Last week reported on a miners' strike, with Ulysmedia reporting that miners at several Kazakhmys mines had made a number of demands to company management, including higher wages and the resignation of a senior manager. The company later said that production at Kazakhmys' facilities was proceeding as normal despite the labor disputes.Kazakhmys is the largest copper producer in Kazakhstan. The company comprises 10 mines, five processing plants, two copper smelters, and two open-pit coal mines. Kazakhmys operates production facilities that extract ore and process it into commercial metal. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX