China Railway Tunnel Group has launched the Shargunkumir JSC modernization project, which envisages the increase in the hard coal production up to 900 thous. tons per year, Uzbekistan Railways said.
The $ 105.5 million project includes cleaning up of 10 old mines of a total length of 1,500 m and drilling 2,227 meters of tunnels for further extraction of coal, with the project completion scheduled for Q1of 2020.
The facility will use up-to-date technologies, in particular, high-efficiency coal mining equipment. A new 20km access railway is to be laid, with existing main rail roads to be reconstructed.
Shargun is one of the world's richest coal deposits, with estimated 33 million tons of reserves.