OREANDA-NEWS. November 09, 2009. Iran’s AZARAB IND CO and the Gomel oblast executive committee will sign an investment agreement to construct a cement plant in the Podkamenie chalk deposit, Vetka region.

The State Property Committee held a tender to find an investor for industrial development of the deposit and construction of the plant. “Now the Gomel oblast executive committee and the winner of the tender, Iranian AZARAB IND CO, are working on the investment agreement,” the committee informed.

According to the agreement, the new cement plant will have the capacity up to 2 million tonnes of cement per year. Other capacities to produce lime, cellular-concrete wall blocks, dried construction mixes may be also constructed. The investor can export up to 70% of products via its own commodity distribution network.

Belarus has also announced a tender to lease concession for exploiting Brinevskoye gypsum deposit and the Ostrozhanskoye bentonitic clay deposit. The two tenders in August and October this year turned out inefficient. Yet the State Property Committee does not see it as a failure. “Any attempt means experience,” the committee said.

Brinevskoe gypsum deposit is located in the Petrikov region of the Gomel oblast. Its minerals are gypsum and anhydrite. The overall volume of gypsum and anhydrite is 381.8 million tonnes, including 233.2 million tonnes of gypsum stone. The minerals occur at a depth of 150-400 meters. The recommended annual volume of extraction is estimated at one million tonnes. Taking into account the mining and geological conditions, the mining method is the most suitable for this minefield. The extracted gypsum is used in gypsum binding additives to production concrete and medical gypsum.

Ostrozhanskoye bentonitic clay deposit is located in the Lelchitsy region of the Gomel oblast. The commercial reserves of bentonitic clays are 12.3 million tonnes. The recommended annual volume of extraction is no less than 110,000 tonnes.