Press Release: Kazatomprom Starts a Sulfuric Acid Plant at Stepnogorsk Mining and Chemical Complex

 Sulfuric Acid Production launched on September 10, 2006 at the Stepnogorsk Mining-Chemical Complex (SMCC), which is currently under the trust-management of the National Atomic Company Kazatomprom.  The increase in capacity of sulfuric acid production was necessary due to its growing consumption in uranium mining industry in Kazakhstan.

Expected annual output of sulfuric acid is 180 thousand tons, and 360 thousand tons per year in the future.  As the feed material the facility will use elementary sulfur produced in Kazakhstan, by TengizChevroil Company (Atyrau).

 The facility will be producing the following three grades of acid:

1. Concentrated H2SO4 (technical);
2. Oleum;
3. Battery acid.

 Final products of the facility will be sent to

1. Hydrometallurgical plant of SMCC, for uranium production;
2. Mining Group-1 of SMCC, for uranium heap leaching;
3. Stepnogorsk Heat and Power Plant, for chemical treatment of water.

Note:

Sulfuric acid is one of the most popular reagents in chemical industry. It is the most strong and cheapest acid.  It is widely used in uranium, oil, metallurgical, textile and other industries.  Sulfuric acid is used as dehydrating and drying component used for neutralization, etching, etc.

Reminder:

The Stepnogorsk Mining and Chemical Complex is under trust-management of Kazatomprom since September 2004.  It represents an industrial complex of mining and processing enterprises.

As reported earlier, Kazatomprom’s development plan for Stepnogorsk Mining Chemical Complex provides for investments of over 180 million USD within 2005-2007, and revenues of 200 million USD per year in 2010.