OREANDA-NEWS. May 4, 2009. The major trends in cooperation on development of the production infrastructure of chemical industry, in particular construction of the first ore-dressing and processing enterprise producing and enriching potassium salts in Turkmenistan, were the focus of the Turkmen-Belarusian intergovernmental talks at the Tukmenhimiya State Concern. The specialists of Belgorhimprom Public Corporation had arrived in Ashgabat for this purpose.

The largest natural deposit of potassium salts – the main raw materials for producing potash fertilizers is the Garlyk field in Koytendag Etrap, Lebap Velayat. Development of this deposit and construction of the ore-dressing and processing enterprise will be a landmark event in the history of Turkmenistan’s chemical industry, the first step to establish the new sector of the national economy - mineral resource industry capable to produce four million tons of potash fertilizers a year. The demand for potash fertilizers that have the high export potential is very strong on world market today. Therefore, in future the new sector will bring substantial currency earnings and contribute to enhancing the country’s economic strength and improving peoples’ welfare. 

Upon concluding a series of the talks to select the major partners – designers of ore-dressing and processing enterprises the Turkmen partners selected Belgorhimprom Public Corporation, which offered the profound research and technical expertise and progressive technologies of processing potassium ore. The partners negotiated the conception of development of the Garlyk field providing for the use of the shaft method and construction of the ore-dressing and processing enterprise with the capacity of 1-1.5 million tons a year, stages of the work and main infrastructure specifications. The project presented by the Belarusian specialists will provide for complex development of the deposit through applying advanced technologies and complying with occupational safety and environmental requirements.

The partners agreed that the leading research and educational centres of Belarus would train Turkmen specialists for the new sector of Turkmen economy.