Belarus in 2013 will begin to build a soda ash plant, in 2015 - puts it into service

Construction in the Gomel region plant soda ash involving Chinese buyer credit of $ 219 million will be launched in 2013, in 2015 the plant will be put into operation, said at a press conference in Minsk on Thursday the Minister of Architecture and Construction of Belarus Anatoly Nichkasov.

"We are starting this year," - said the Minister. "The agreement on the provision of consumer credit Exim Bank for $ 219 million to build a plant soda ash capacity of 300 thousand tons per year," - he said.

According to the minister, "the Belarusian side is to provide funding for infrastructure costs to the plant."

A.Nichkasov said that plans call for the completion of the project in 2015, with the release of production at full capacity in 2016.

"For two years, the Ministry could not proceed with the execution of the contract on the establishment of the plant with the Chinese side, since the effectiveness of the project, proposed by our partners was low, and the technology does not meet modern requirements," - said the head of the Ministry of Architecture.

According to him, the project "is not allowed to make such a product at cost price for the Belarusian glass industry, the use of which in the production of" Gomelsteklo "could produce competitive products." He explained that before the Chinese side proposed technology that would be used in the production as raw materials imported 450 thousand tons of limestone. A.Nichkasov noted that the opinion of the Ministry of the high risks of such a project come true: for two years, prices for these raw materials increased by 1.5-2 times, and freight rates - in 3-5 times. As the Minister, together with Russian and Ukrainian experts were analyzed, which showed the possibility of use in the production of soda ash Belarusian raw materials - chalk, "which deposits in Belarus are viewed by hundreds of years to come." A.Nichkasov said that the technology and was put up in a new project to create a soda ash plant.

He drew attention to the fact that the realization of such a project and used the power of cement plants for the manufacture of semi-finished product. In addition, the Minister continued, "from the Russian and Ukrainian colleagues received a proposal to organize this plant additional production that will produce and other products with high added value." He said that, in particular, we are talking about the production of fertilizers for soil rasschelachivaniya, cellular concrete blocks, Chemicals & Petrochemicals industry. "As a result, all waste will be recycled," - concluded A.Nichkasov.