Kyrgyzstan Postpones Ban On Gold Ore Exports Until 2024

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 25. Kyrgyzstan postponed the introduction of a ban on the export of gold ore and concentrate until January 1, 2024, Erbol Sultanbaev, press secretary of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov told Kabar News Agency, trend reports via Interfax.

"Neither gold ore nor concentrate should have been sent abroad since May 1, 2023, but processed in Kyrgyzstan. Unfortunately, we were not ready for it. The entry into force of the Presidential decree has been postponed until December 31," the press secretary said, noting that the decree will take effect from January 1, 2024.

Sultanbayev explained that the authorities do not have time to build a Gold Recovery Plant by May, saying that it is difficult to build a factory in six months and adding that this work is not provided for in the budget.

According to him, there are more than a hundred gold mining companies in Kyrgyzstan. Most of them carry ore or concentrate to China and Kazakhstan.

"We do not have a plant for extracting gold from some metals, for this reason, we have allowed the export of raw materials abroad," Sultanbayev said.

President Sadyr Japarov signed a decree last October to temporarily ban exports of gold-bearing ore and concentrate produced in Kyrgyzstan. The ban was supposed to go into effect for six months as of May 1, 2023. A temporary ban for a period of 6 months would be imposed on the export of gold-bearing ore and gold-containing concentrate extracted and produced on the territory of Kyrgyzstan. The ban can be extended every six months if needed. The decree gives the exclusive right to the processing of gold-bearing ore and concentrate of Kara-Balta Ore Mining Combine (KBMP), the largest processing plant of the mining combine, in Central Asia.

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