OREANDA-NEWS. On January 12, 2007, the Federal agency on bowels use of Russia (Rosnedra) and OJSC “Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant” (CHTSZ) have signed the license agreement for the period of 25 years on exploration and development of the Amur zinc deposit in Bredinsky district of the Chelyabinsk region.

According to the press-service of CHTSZ, signing of the license agreement was the result of approval by Rosnedra the results of the competition held in December 2006 by Territorial agency on bowels use of the Chelyabinsk region on reception of the right of bowels use with the purpose of geological studying, exploration and extraction of zinc ores on the Amur deposit, which winner was OJSC “Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant”.

According to Chairman of the Board of directors of OJSC “Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant” Sergey Moiseyev, it is planned that Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant will be able to produce approximately 30 thousand tons of zinc in concentrate a year on the basis of Amur deposit by 2010, with subsequent growth of its manufacture up to 50 thousand tons in 2011. It will demand investments from the company at the rate of approximately $100 million.

Earlier, commenting on results of the competition, Chairman of the Board of directors of OJSC “Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant” Sergey Moiseyev has noted that participation in competition in exploration and development of Amur zinc deposit fully meets the strategy of vertical integration directed on maximal maintenance with own raw material with a view of escalating of production program and further increase of efficiency of business accepted by the company.

As a result of the last exploration-estimated works the predicted resources on Amur deposit are estimated at the rate of 1 million tons of zinc, with its maintenance in ore - 2,64%.