Kazakh metallurgical company Qarmet has taken an important step in its modernization program with the start of construction of coke oven batteries No. 8 and 9, the company said in a press release. The pouring of the first foundation signals the transition from preparation to full-scale construction of what will be Kazakhstan's most advanced coke plants.
According to a company press release, with a combined capacity of 1.5 million tons of dry coke per year, the new batteries will ensure a stable supply to the plant's blast furnaces and improve long-term production stability. Once Batteries No. 8 and 9 are operational, Qarmet will retire Batteries No. 1-4, which were built in the 1960s and have operated continuously for over 65 years. Their replacement will improve environmental performance, reduce operating costs and provide safer and more automated working conditions.
Qarmet's investment amounts to $369 million, including the full construction of a coke plant, utilities and auxiliary systems. The first coke from the new batteries is expected in 2027, when deliveries to the Temirtau Metallurgical Plant begin.
