ASTANA. March 17. KAZINFORM. /Serik Sabekov/ Kazakhstan plans to increase production of cathode copper to 500 thousand tons in five years. Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev has made it public at the 1^st Mining and Exploration Forum MINEX Central Asia-2010 today.

To date, the copper sector produces 1 million 986 thousand tons of concentrates allowing to get about 400 thousand tons of cathode copper.

"In five year it is planned to create additional capacities to 500 thousand tons of cathode copper by expanding exploration and launch of new productions at KazZinc and Kazakhmys for 70,000 tons and 25,000 tons respectively", the Minister said.

He also noted that it was planned to increase production of copper rod, rolled products and alloys to 30 thousand tons.