BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 11. Uzbekistan's
Uzmetkombinat and China's NORINCO have discussed a broad portfolio
of mining, metallurgy, energy and transport projects as the Uzbek
steelmaker seeks to strengthen its raw-material base and expand
industrial capacity.
This was reflected in the statement by the Uzmetkombinat
following a meeting between a delegation from Uzmetkombinat led by
Chairman of the Management Board Bahodir Abdullaev and the
management of China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) in
Beijing.
The discussions focused on several projects considered important
to Uzmetkombinat's long-term development strategy, including the
development of prospective mineral deposits, deeper processing of
raw materials and the introduction of advanced industrial
technologies.
One of the key areas of cooperation was the processing of waste
from Uzmetkombinat's No. 2 metallurgical processing facility. The
sides examined ways to recover valuable components from existing
industrial waste, introduce secondary raw materials into production
and apply modern technologies to improve resource efficiency.
The parties also discussed plans for a new blast-furnace
production complex. The project could involve advanced engineering
solutions and high-efficiency technologies to process domestic raw
materials more deeply and produce higher-value-added metal
products.
"The talks with NORINCO create an important foundation for
long-term strategic cooperation covering the development of the
raw-material base, new metallurgical capacity, energy and transport
infrastructure," Uzmetkombinat said.
The agenda extended beyond metallurgy to energy and logistics.
The parties considered options for providing new production
facilities with reliable power, deploying modern energy solutions
and expanding transport and logistics capacity to improve the
movement of raw materials and finished products.
The broader scope of the discussions reflects Uzmetkombinat's
efforts to build a more integrated industrial chain, from mineral
extraction and processing to finished metallurgical products. Such
integration could help the company improve resource security,
increase domestic value addition and support the expansion of
production capacity.
NORINCO is a major Chinese industrial corporation with
activities spanning mining and mineral resources, oil and gas,
energy, engineering, transportation infrastructure and industrial
investment. China North Industries Group Corporation Limited,
associated with NORINCO, ranked 226th on the 2025 Fortune Global
500 list, underscoring the scale of its international
operations.
For Uzbekistan, deeper cooperation with a large Chinese
industrial group could provide access to engineering expertise,
technology and financing opportunities needed to modernize its
metallurgical sector.
The discussions therefore point to a broader strategy than
individual projects, potentially laying the groundwork for an
integrated industrial chain and strengthening Uzmetkombinat's
competitiveness in international metallurgical markets.
