Pilot production

In 1997 a special group was formed as part of the Tomsk geological survey expedition. This group aimed to design and oversee the realization of a pilot production at South-Aleksandrovsk area of the Tugansk deposit.

Pilot production working project, 1998

In June 1998 Tomskneftegazgeologiya, OAO (Tomsk oil-and-gas geology) started construction of a pilot plant started in accordance with the developed working documentation. In October 1999, the first heavy mineral concentrate was produced at the plant.

Pilot plant construction, 1998

Pilot plant construction, 1999

In September 2002 Tugansk Ore Mining and Processing Enterprise, ZAO was established to undertake the commercial exploitation of the Tugansk ilmenite-zircon deposit.

From 2003 to 2005, the Tomsk Research and Design Institute VNIPIET (Russian Planning and Research Institute for Integrated Power Engineering Technology) finalized the development of the mineral sands prosessing flowsheet. At the same time, a pilot open-pit based on South-Aleksandrovsk area of the deposit was organized in compliance with the license. Additionaly, a pilot processing plant was built 4 km away (Oktyabrskoye Village).

Working project, 2005

In 2005 a pilot production for mining and processing of 125 thousand tons of ore per year was put into operation.