This week, key topics were discussed in the fields of mining, nuclear energy, and e-commerce. In this weekly roundup, Spot has gathered the most important articles and news from this week that you might have missed.
Mining Industry
Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed the development work at the “Yoshlik-1” deposit located within the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex.
The deposit spans 11,000 hectares and contains 13 types of rare and precious metals, including gold, silver, copper, molybdenum, selenium, and others. It is planned to extract up to 65 million tons of polymetallic ores annually, with an investment of $4.6 billion allocated for the project.
Since 2021, the third copper concentration plant of AGMK has been under construction here. At the first stage, it will process 60 million tons of ore extracted from “Yoshlik-1,” producing 917,000 tons of copper and 2,500 tons of molybdenum concentrate.
In the future, the plant's capacity is expected to increase to 160 million tons of ore. The plant's buildings will be connected by conveyors to simplify the transportation of raw materials between workshops and reduce costs.
According to estimates, by 2028, the enterprise will be able to produce 400,000 tons of copper, 50 tons of gold, and 270 tons of silver annually, while the total production volume of AGMK will more than triple. Approximately 5,600 people will be employed at the plant.
1Moreover, Shavkat Mirziyoyev has launched the construction of a fourth copper concentration plant as part of AGMK. The new complex is being built as part of the second phase of the “Yoshlik-1” deposit development project.
British engineering companies Wood and WorleyParsons have been engaged in the construction of the plant. The project cost is preliminarily estimated at $5.3 billion.
The plant and the associated infrastructure will provide jobs for 3,000 people and will additionally produce 146,000 tons of copper cathodes, 13 tons of gold, and 73 tons of silver. The total value of the produced goods will amount to $1.9 billion annually.
Nuclear Energy
The Director of the Nuclear Energy Agency, Azim Akhmedkhodjaev, spoke about the plans to explore 14 potential sites for the construction of small nuclear power plants in various regions of Uzbekistan.
“Fourteen potential sites for the construction of nuclear power plants have been preliminarily assessed. Detailed studies of these sites are planned for the further development of small reactors in different regions of the republic. The assessment is definitely conducted based on local and international regulatory documents for site selection for nuclear power plants,” he reported.
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Currently, a technical assignment is being developed for the execution of work on the development of project and working documentation and licensing documentation for the small nuclear power plant project.
The director of “Uzatom” noted that in the future, the small NPP could be used not only for electricity production but also for heating households and generating industrial steam.
In Azim Akhmedkhodjaev's opinion, the advantages of constructing a small NPP include stable electricity supply without atmospheric emissions, the development of science and education in the field of nuclear energy, the creation of new jobs, “mandatory localization of certain components” of the nuclear power plant, infrastructure improvement, and reduced dependence on hydrocarbon sources.
In turn, the director of the NPP Construction Directorate, Otobek Amanov, reported on the progress of the construction of a small nuclear power plant in the Jizzakh region. By the end of 2024, work on the temporary settlement and construction and installation base is planned to commence.
“By the end of next year, we plan to obtain permission from our regulator for the [construction] site [of the NPP]. Additionally, we plan to finalize the placement of orders for long-cycle manufacturing equipment: reactors, turbines, generators, and other large block equipment,” said Otobek Amanov.
The production of the reactor itself will take between 36 and 40 months. As a result, the commissioning of the first reactor is planned by the end of 2029.
3The director of the NPP construction directorate discussed negotiations with several local and foreign banks regarding financing the small NPP construction project in the Jizzakh region, noting that “the necessary proposals have been submitted to the management.”
According to him, Uzbekistan is working on the project with many companies, including Chinese ones. The Nuclear Island is planned to be constructed with the “daughter” of “Rosatom” — the general contractor “Atomstroyexport.” International companies may be involved in the construction of auxiliary facilities for the supply of turbine equipment, generators, and dry cooling towers.
E-commerce
The first deputy director of NAPP, Vyacheslav Pak, emphasized the need to reform the regulation of e-commerce in Uzbekistan. According to the official, since gaining authority over e-commerce regulation, the agency has focused on inventorying legislation and studying the operations of commercial entities.
Vyacheslav Pak noted that despite the emergence of major international players like Wildberries and Ozon, the situation resembles a “one-sided game.” Foreign companies find it easier to enter the Uzbekistan market, while local entrepreneurs face challenges in exporting their goods through foreign marketplaces.
The official pointed out that the existing legislation lacks clear definitions and requirements for e-commerce participants. Currently, the legislation does not provide definitions of what constitutes a marketplace and what requirements are imposed on courier services.
NAPP has prepared a draft decree aimed at formulating key concepts and terms in the e-commerce sector. There are also plans to revise the law and regulations on e-commerce, despite the adoption of a new version in 2022.
With the growth of digital services and changes in consumer culture, there is an urgent need to protect consumer rights.
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It is proposed to shift the focus of responsibility and include marketplaces in the chain of responsibility, requiring them to verify certificates and expiration dates of products.
Additionally, to receive, process, and prepare orders for delivery, Ozon has launched its first sorting center in Tashkent, covering 1,000 square meters. In the future, the area of the facility is planned to be expanded to 5,000 square meters. The marketplace plans to open three more sorting centers in Fergana, Termez, and Bukhara, which will create over 2,000 jobs.
Ozon has started accepting applications from entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan to open branded order pickup points under a franchise. By 2027, it is planned to open more than 1,500 pickup points in all cities.
In the first six months after opening a point in a