Kazakhstan to build first coal-chemical complex at Qarmet plant

Kazakhstan will establish its first coal-chemical complex for advanced processing of coking byproducts at the Qarmet metallurgical plant. The project involves building two new coke oven batteries with a total annual capacity of 1.5 million tons of dry coke. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev inspected the construction work during a visit to the facility, according to Akorda, as reported by Qazinform News Agency.

The President was briefed on progress on coke oven batteries No. 8 and No. 9. The project is one of Qarmet's largest investment initiatives and represents the plant's largest capacity expansion in decades. ACRE Coking & Refractory Engineering Consulting Corporation is the primary technology partner. Each battery will have 54 coke ovens with 7.6-meter-high chambers.

Executives told the president that the new units will improve the reliability of blast-furnace operations by supplying the plant with its own coke, maintain consistent quality standards and ensure higher environmental safety compliance. Scheduled for launch in 2027, the batteries will replace facilities built in the 1960s and 1970s.