The State Unitary Enterprise “Fan va tarakkiyot” Tashkent State Technical University named after I. Karimov, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

О. М. Yoqubov, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Technical Sciences, DSc Doctoral Candidate, e-mail: oybek.yoqubov6600@gmail.com

JSC Almalyk MMC, Almalyk, Uzbekistan
А. S. Khasanov, Deputy Director of Technology of the Center for the development and implementation of innovative technologies, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, e-mail: abdurashidsoli@mail.ru

Almalyk Branch of the National University of Science and Technology MISIS, Almalyk, Uzbekistan
М. М. Yakubov, Professor of the Department of Metallurgy, Doctor of Technical Sciences, e-mail: yakubovmahmud51@gmail.com

Almalyk State Technical Institute, Almalyk, Uzbekistan
М. S. Maksudkhodjaeva, Associate Professor of the Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, e-mail: maksudxodjaeva.mukhtabar@gmail.com

Sharp rise in gold prices on the world market has led to a significant increase in its production abroad and in Uzbekistan, where gold is produced by hydrometallurgical methods at JSC Navoi MMC and is used as an associated element in pyrometallurgical copper production at JSC Almalyk MMC. Due to the depletion of reserves of high-quality raw materials in the deposits, refractory ores began to be processed, characterized by their shot, complex composition, increased sludge-forming ability, and impurities of microscopic free gold. These features cause the loss of gold during extraction. The shortage of ore mineral raw materials makes it necessary to search for alternative sources of precious metals. It is advisable to involve man-made formations of metallurgical origin in the processing. The waste of JSC Almalyksky MMC, such as slags and cakes, contains 0.3–3.2 g/t of gold and 16–260 g/t of silver. The prospects of pyrometallurgical processing of regractory gold-bearing ores in copper production are shown. High extraction of valuable components is achieved by eliminating the stage of fine crushing of the charge (up to 0.074 mm). During the melting process, the entire mass of the material passes into the molten state, which leads to the destruction of the shot, complete combustion of carbonaceous components and effective extraction of metals into matte. As a result, the extraction of gold into matte is 97.2–98.5%, silver – 94.9–95.7%, copper – 93.1–95.6%.

1. Stonex Bullion. Gold price charts for the year. Available at: https://stonexbullion.com/ru/grafiki/cena-zolota/unciya/1god/ (accessed: 21.04.2025).
2. Larrabure G., Rodriguez-Reyes J. C. F. A review on the negative impact of different elements during cyanidation of gold and silver from refractory ores and strategies to optimize the leaching process. Minerals Engineering. 2021. Vol. 173. 107194. DOI: 10.1016/j.mineng.2021.107194
3. Sanakulov K., Khamroev I. Geological-Geochemical and Technological Aspects of Kyzylkum Gold. Navoi : NAVOIY, 2025. 728 p.
4. Sanakulov K., Khamroev I. O. Development of refractory gold-bearing ore deposits in the Central Kyzylkum Desert of Western Uzbekistan. Gold Mining. 2022. No. 7. рр. 68–73.
5. Zakharov B. А., Meretukov М. А. Gold: refractory ore. Moscow : Ruda i Metally, 2013. 452 p.
6. Sanakulov К. S., Ergashev U. А., Zimina А. А., Poperechnikova О. Yu. Application of combined technologies for the rational processing of highly refractory gold sulfide ores. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2023. No. 10. С. 4–7.
7. Shneerson Ya. M., Chugaev L. V. Pressure oxidation of double refractory gold bearing sulphide Concentrates. Tsvetnye Metally. 2019. No. 8. pp. 55–66.
8. Kozhakhmetov S. M., Kvyatkovsky S. A., Semenova A. S., Seisembayev R. S., Omirzakov B. A. The process of liquid phase reduction of calcine obtained from gold-containing mattes. Complex Use of Mineral Resources. 2018. No. 2. pp. 39–45.
9. Khursanov А. Kh. History and prospects of development, problems of processing of technogenic deposits of JSC Almalyk MMC. Modern problems and innovative technologies for solving the issues of processing technogenic deposits of JSC Almalyk MMC : Proceedings of the International Scientific and Practical Conference. Almalyk, 2019. pp. 3–15.
10. Yakubov M. M., Abdukadyrov A. A., Mukhamedzhanova Sh. A., Ekubov O. M. Inclusion of secondary raw materials in the production circuit at Almalyk MMC. Tsvetnye Metally. 2022. No. 5. pp. 36–41.
11. Sanakulov К. S. Scientific and technical bases of waste processing of mining and metallurgical production. Tashkent : Fan, 2009. 404 p.

12. Gabasiane T. S., Danha G., Mamvura T. A., Mashifana T., Dzinomwa G. Characterization of copper slag for beneficiation of iron and copper. Heliyon. 2021. Vol. 7, Iss. 4. e06757. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06757
13. Gabasiane T. S., Danha G., Mamvura T. A., Mashifana T., Dzinomwa G. Environmental and socioeconomic impact of copper slag–a review. Crystals. 2021. Vol. 11, Iss. 12. 1504. DOI: 10.3390/cryst11121504
14. Yakubov M. M., Yoqubov M. M., Kholikulov D. B., Maksudhodjaeva M. S. Depletion of converter slags to waste in the Vanyukov furnace during pyrometallurgical copper production at JSC Almalyk MMC. Complex Use of Mineral Resource. 2024. Vol. 331, No. 4. pp. 60–68. DOI: 10.31643/2024/6445.39
15. Kupryakov Yu. P. Copper smelting slags and their processing. Moscow : Metallurgiya, 1987. 201 p.
16. Sokolovskaya L. V., Kvyatkovskiy S. A., Kozhakhmetov S. M., Semenova A. S., Seisembayev R. S. Effect of reducing agent on structure and thermal properties of autogenous copper sulfide concentrate smelting slags. Metallurgist. 2021. Vol. 65, No. 5–6. pp. 529–537.
17. Mamonov S. V., Gazaleeva G. I., Dresvyankina T. P., Volkova S. V., Vasilev I. D. Improving the technological performance of processing of waste slag from copper smelting based on their slow cooling and ultra-fine grinding. Izvestiya vuzov. Gornyy zhurnal. 2018. No. 2. pp. 83–90.
18. Kholikulov D. B., Yakubov M. M., Mukhametdzhanova Sh. A., Bekbutaev A. N. Development of technology for extracting metals from process solutions by ion flotation. Tsvetnye Metally. 2022. No. 6. pp. 19–24.
19. Busolic D., Parada F., Parra R., Sanchez M. et al. Recovery of iron from copper flash smelting slags. Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy. 2011. Vol. 120, No. 1. pp. 32–36.
20. Kupryakov Yu. P. Reverberatory smelting of copper concentrates. Moscow : Мetallurgiya, 1976. 351 p.
21. Yakubov M. M., Dzhumaeva Kh. Yu., Umaraliev I. S., Mukhamedzhanova Sh. A. Understanding the possibility of using secondary raw materials when smelting copper sulphide concentrates in Almalyk MMC’s Vanyukov furnace. Tsvetnye Metally. 2023. No. 5. pp. 14–19.
22. Yusupkhodjaev A. A., Saynazarov A. M., Khojiev Sh. T., Kurbanov B. T. Current state and prospects for the development of autogenous processes for processing sulfide copper concentrates. Innovative development of science and education: collected articles of the 10 th International scientific and practical conference. 10 March 2020, Penza. Penza : Nauka i Prosveshchenie, 2020. pp. 20–24.
23. Yakubov M. M., Dzhumaeva Kh. Yu., Ekubov O. M., Maksudkhodzhaeva M. S. Developing the technology for processing commercial and non-commercial ore from Yoshlik-I deposit. Tsvetnye Metally. 2024. No. 9. pp. 73–78.
24. Zaytsev V. Ya., Udalov L. К., Yakubov М. М., Genevska Т. N. On possible use of Waelz clinker for slag depletion. Tsvetnye Metally. 1984. No. 4. pp. 19–23.