OREANDA-NEWS. JSC RUSBURMASH (a part of the control loop of ARMZ Uranium Holding / JSC ARMZ) took part in the VI Mining Forum, started in Astana on March 18th. Delegates from 15 countries once again gathered to discuss topical issues of the industry, exchange practical experience and reinforce business contacts.

In his welcoming address, Minister for Innovation and Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan Asset Issekeshev emphasized that tapping into the mineral potential of the country is one of the priorities in implementation of the Strategy - 2050. He also recalled that Kazakhstan lifted moratorium on the issuance of new exploration licenses to create favorable environment for the development of large-scale geological prospecting activities and for attracting new investment and technologies.

Traditionally, the program of the Forum consisted of thematic sessions. Ten sessions were held during two days, with over sixty papers presented.

It is important to note that for the first time at Minex, RUSBURMASH changed its exhibitor status to initiate technical session on "Practical aspects of addressing urgent issues of mining mineral deposits of Kazakhstan."

In spite of the narrow focus of the topic, the session attracted great interest and was one of the most extensive and dynamic ones at the Forum. The following speakers delivered their reports during RUSBURMASH session:

Sofya Krasknikh, Chief Hydrogeologist, JSC RUSBURMASH; Alexey Rudenko, Chief Geotechnical Engineer, JSC RUSBURMASH; Baurzhan Duisebayev, Head of Science Coordination Department, JSC Kazatomprom; Baurzhan Ibraev, General Director, TOO DP Ortalyk; Dick Brinschwitz, representative of Ford Austria GmbH; Pavel Mukhin, Senior Consultant (geology and exploration), SRK Consulting (Kazakhstan) Ltd.

Session participants widely discussed the issue of expansion of mineral resource base of the country through introduction of innovative technologies, in particular, in-situ leaching deposit development involving borehole technologies. Three papers were addressing this topic.

Also, on March 18 and 19, a series of discussions and round tables were organized at Minex, where representatives of mining, geology, mining engineering and investment companies were invited to discuss problems and prospects of development of the mineral potential of the Central Asia.