🇹🇯 REPUBLIC of TAJIKISTAN –
Zaravshan Alluvial Gold Mining Project
OVERVIEW
- Country: Republic of Tajikistan (Zaravshan Region & River, ~600 km from Dushanbe)
- Project Status: Completed (2019)
- Start Year: 2017
- Conclusion Year: 2019
- Minerals: Gold (Alluvial/Placer)
- Mining Type: Alluvial (Placer) Deposits
- Technology: DOVE EXPLORER® Semi-Stationary Alluvial (Placer) Gold Processing Plant – 150 TPH
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
In 2017, DOVE established operations in the Zaravshan Region of Tajikistan, in association with the Zarnik Gold Mining Project. The concession was located along the Zaravshan River, in mountainous terrain approximately 600 km from Dushanbe, within one of Central Asia’s most historic gold-producing belts.
The project focused on alluvial gold deposits along the riverbanks, characterized by sandy to medium-clay sediments. While the Zaravshan Valley has been mined since antiquity, DOVE introduced the first modern mechanized semi-stationary gold recovery system to the region.
Plant Configuration & Features
The project deployed a DOVE EXPLORER® Semi-Stationary Alluvial Gold Processing Plant, designed specifically for Zaravshan’s geology:
- Processing Capacity: 150 tons per hour
- Ore Type: Sandy–medium clay riverbank deposits
- Ore Preparation: Trommel classifier with integrated clay-breaking system
- Primary Recovery: Jig concentrators for coarse and mid-size gold
- Fine Gold Recovery: DOVE VBS® Concentrators and Concentrating Tables, enabling recovery of particles down to 50 micron
Water & Tailings Management:
- 100% environmentally friendly – no chemicals used
- Closed-loop water recirculation system
- Reservoirs lined with heavy-duty plastic to prevent seepage
- Sustainable operations with zero water loss in the mountain river ecosystem
Government Relations & Recognition
- Operated under official license via the Zarnik Gold Mining Project, authorized by Tajikistan’s Ministry of Industry & New Technologies.
- Recognized as the first mechanized alluvial gold recovery project in the Zaravshan Valley.
- Acknowledged for introducing eco-friendly, chemical-free placer mining technology into Tajikistan’s gold sector.
Strategic & Diplomatic Impact
- Contributed to Tajikistan’s gold production and exports between 2017–2019.
- Created employment and technical training programs for local communities in the remote concession area.
- Demonstrated Tajikistan’s gold potential in the Tien Shan–Pamir belt, strengthening its role as a Central Asian gold producer.
- Established environmentally responsible mining practices in an ecologically sensitive mountain river environment.
Legacy & Significance
- First international-scale mechanized alluvial gold recovery project in Zaravshan.
- Proved the economic viability of riverbank sandy–clay gold deposits.
- Set benchmarks for 100% chemical-free gold recovery and zero-loss water recycling.
- DOVE operations in Tajikistan were successfully concluded in 2019, leaving behind a foundation for future environmentally responsible mining in the region.
DOVE TAJIKISTAN PHOTO GALLERY
