German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp has announced that Kazakhstan's first silicon metal plant Silicium Kazakhstan LLP has recently been commissioned in the province of Karaganda.
ThyssenKrupp Mannex is the lead supplier of technical equipment and responsible for supervising construction, while ThyssenKrupp Metallurgie, which is the exclusive global distributor of the material produced, also holds a 16 percent stake in the company.
Initially, the plant will produce silicon metal with one 12,500 metric ton furnace for customers mainly in Europe, Asia and the USA. A second furnace with the same capacity, already installed, is scheduled for startup in May 2011. Equipment worth around €60 million in total was transported from Europe to set up the plant.
The plant's capacity is to be doubled, with plans to install two further furnaces manufactured by German plantmaker SMS-Siemag, which also produced the first two furnaces.
The country harbors the world's third largest deposit of quartz sand, from which silicon is obtained.