Cove Kaz Capital Group engages operators for Kazakhstan tungsten DFS

me-metals: The Northern Katpar tungsten project is managed by Severniy Katpar, in which Cove Kaz Capital Group holds a 70% controlling stake.

According to me-metals cited by mining-technology.com, Cove Kaz Capital Group has appointed a group of international engineering companies to carry out a definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the Northern Katpar tungsten project in Kazakhstan.

The project is managed by Severniy Katpar, in which Cove Kaz Capital Group holds a 70% controlling stake.

The DFS, which began in July 2026 and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027, is expected to support a final investment decision and assist in the due diligence processes for potential financing partners.

These include the US International Development Finance Corporation, the Export-Import Bank of the US, other US financial entities and commercial partners.

The DFS will feed into front-end engineering and design, followed by detailed engineering, construction, commissioning, and ultimately the start of commercial operations.

DRA Global, a mining engineering and project delivery specialist, has been appointed lead contractor and will oversee the mineral processing work.

ERM will head geology, mine planning, technical programmes, and environmental and social frameworks, using it experience in regulatory and financial licensing processes for large-scale projects.

Knight Piésold has been assigned responsibility for geotechnical, hydrology and tailings storage engineering, focusing on operational safety and environmental management.

These appointments remain subject to the finalisation of definitive agreements.

The DFS will include mine planning for Northern Katpar as well as plans for a local refinery to produce ammonium paratungstate, a commonly traded tungsten product.

Cove Kaz Capital Group executive chairman Pini Althaus said: “Following the start of site preparation in July, formally engaging the DFS engineering firms is an essential step towards our objective of becoming a leading, commercially successful supplier of tungsten to the US.

“There is a systemic shortage of tungsten that cannot be addressed by existing mines globally, even in China. The current supply deficit is acute, but the medium to long-term market is also showing a significant shortage.”

As preparations for the DFS continue, Cove Kaz Capital Group is intensifying development activities at the Upper Kairakty deposit, also held by Severniy Katpar and situated approximately 25km from Northern Katpar.

A feasibility study completed in April 2023 reported Joint Ore Reserve Committee-compliant mineral resources at Severniy Katpar totalling 1.4 million tonnes (mt) of tungsten trioxide.

Expected production is around 5,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) at Northern Katpar and 7,000tpa at Upper Kairakty, together accounting for roughly 15% of current global tungsten mine production.

Last month, Cove Kaz Capital began site preparation at Severniy Katpar to support final drilling for the DFS.

source: mining-technology.com