Institute History

In 1950, by the decision of the USSR Council of Ministers there was found ‘The All-Union Mining and Metallurgical Research Institute for Non-Ferrous Metals’ (‘VNIItsvetmet’) in the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk, the center of Rudny Altai.
Basic mission of VNIItsvetmet was the development of lead-zinc sub-industry of the USSR Ministry of non-ferrous metallurgy.
In 1992, the Institute was transformed into ‘The Eastern Mining and Metallurgical Research Institute for Non-Ferrous Metals’ (‘VNIItsvetmet’).
In 1993, by the resolution of Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Kazakhstan, VNIItsvetmet was integrated with the National Center for Complex Processing of Mineral Raw Materials of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as subsidiary state enterprise in 1998 and as affiliate in 2012.
During its formation and development the Institute was staffed with highly qualified technical manpower which had the experience in conducting of research studies and industrial tests, implementing new techniques and technologies at the existing domestic and foreign enterprises.
Three academicians, nine doctors and 106 candidates of technical science were trained at VNIItsvetmet. Twenty-one specialists won Lenin’s and State rewards of the USSR and the prizes awarded by the USSR Council of Ministers and E. Buketov; one specialist was awarded with ‘Kurmet’ medal, two specialists were awarded with medal ‘Order of merit for exploration survey’,  nine specialists were awarded honorary titles of ‘Honored metallurgist’ and ‘Honored inventor’ of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 410 inventions were rewarded with gold, silver and bronze medals of the Exhibition of USSR National Economy Achievements. Ten specialists were awarded with badge ‘Highest grade of exploration survey’, ‘Honorable exploration surveyor of the Republic of Kazakhstan’, ‘Enbek danki’ (two specialists are the full Cavaliers of this Order), ‘Kenshi danki’ (one specialist is the full Cavalier of this Order), ‘Kazakhstan monayina 100 zhil’. VNIItsvetmet was included in Kazakh SSR Gold Book of Honor, awarded with ‘Order of the Labor Red Banner’ and Lenin’s Honorary Jubilee Certificate.
Almost all the enterprises operating in mining-metallurgical industry of Kazakhstan and CIS countries apply technologies and equipment developed by VNIItsvetmet.
The largest ones among them are: Zhairemskiy, Nikolaevskiy and Shemonaihinskiy open pits; Tishinskiy, Orlovskiy and Maleyevskiy mines; Leninigorsk (now Ridder), Nikolaevskaya and Zhezkentskaya dressing factories; rare metals and dust collecting departments of UK LZC (now Kazzinc Ltd.); Zhezkazgan Copper Smelter in electric smelting scheme; Leninigorsk (now Ridder) and Almalyk Zinc Plants; Balkhash Zinc Plant; rare metal department and dust collecting department at Chimkent Lead Plant; department of battery scrap separation at Leninogorsk (now Ridder) Lead Plant; and many other projects.
Autogenic technology for processing of sulfide copper-zinc concentrates and various lead-bearing raw materials – KIVCET process – was developed at VNIItsvetmet Institute. The first industrial plant for copper-zinc concentrates processing was built in Kazakhstan, at Irtyshskiy copper smelting plant; the second unit, for processing of lead-silver concentrates, was built in Bolivia for Corporación Minera de Bolivia (Comibol) under the license of VNIItsvetmet by the German company ‘KHD Humboldt Wedag AG’.
In 1986, KIVCET industrial complex was built at the lead plant of Ust-Kamenogorsk lead-zinc industrial complex (now Kazzinc Ltd.), which worked for 12 years.
In 1987, in the resort zone of Sardinia Island, Italy, there was built the lead plant on the KIVCET technology by ‘SAMIM’ company (now ‘Portovesme S.R.L.’) and this plant works up to the present time.
In 1997, the largest lead and zinc producer (Teck Cominco Metals Ltd., Canada) built the most modern KIVCET plant in the world for the production of lead, processing of charge of complex composition, containing up to 75% of oxidized raw materials.
The plants in Italy and Canada under the license of VNIItsvetmet were designed by Italian engineering company Snamprogetti S.R.L.
Within the framework of the concluded license agreements with the largest companies of China, two lead factories were constructed and successfully brought into industrial operation according to KIVCET technology:

• In 2012, by ‘Jiangxi Copper Corporation’; the capacity of 100 thousand tons of lead annually;
• In 2013, by ‘Zhuzhou Smelter Group Co.’; the capacity of 120 thousand tons of lead annually.

Almost all the design parameters of KIVCET units were achieved, and some of them were exceeded.

Lead plant with KIVCET unit in Hukou city, China	KIVCET Complex in Zhuzhou city, China

In December 2015, by the decree No.125 of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, three specialists of VNIItsvetmet were awarded the State prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of science and technology named after al-Farabi for a series of work ‘Industrial implementation of developments in the field of lead and gold metallurgy, which made a significant contribution to innovative development of the country and raised the prestige of Kazakhstan in the global technology market’. Mr. Igor Startsev, Director of the Affiliate of ‘RSE NE CPMRM RK’ ‘VNIItsvetmet’, Mr. Nikolay Ushakov, chief researcher, candidate of technical sciences, academician of International Academy of Mineral Resources, and Mr. Viktor Shumskiy, Deputy Director, candidate of technical sciences, became laureates of the State prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

We appreciate our past; however, we are looking forward to future and open for new advancements!