OREANDA-NEWS. On January 28, 2007 Western-Ural Machine Building Concern (Perm, Russia), and Chinese CITIC Pacific Ltd have signed contracts for some USD 100 million with the Uzkimyosanoat (Uzbek Chemical Industry) State Joint-Stock Company for the "turn key" construction of a potassium fertilizers factory in Dekhkanabad, the President's special resolution states, reported the press-centre of UZINFOINVEST.

The Chinese party will be responsible for the construction of the processing and the Russian party – of the mining complexes. The project worth some USD 123.67 million will be financed by the Uzbek Fund for Reconstruction and Development, the Chinese Export Import Bank and Uzkimyosanoat itself.

The first potassium ore is expected to be extracted by July 1, 2009, and as soon as by October same year the plant will produce its first output. The factory is based on Tyubegatan field of potassium minerals in Qashqadaryo province of Uzbekistan on the border with Turkmenistan. Its deposits exceed 400 million tonnes. Today Uzbekistan imports potassium fertilizers from Russia.