About the Company
Volkovgeology JSC is Kazatomprom's principal geological services company. It supports the Group's operations throughout the exploration cycle and drills process wells for the development of its uranium mines.
History
- 1947
Order No. 173 of the USSR Minister of Geology dated 29 October 1947: the expedition is charged with prospecting and exploring uranium ores in Kazakhstan for the needs of the defence industry and nuclear power of the USSR.
- 1948
The Volkov Geological Exploration Expedition is established on 1 January. In its production activities, Volkovgeology JSC is its successor.
- 1953
The Kurday deposit of high-grade uranium ores, discovered in the expedition's first years, is explored in the shortest possible time and handed over for industrial development.
- 1969–1980
The most significant discoveries: a uranium province — the largest in the world by uranium ore reserves — is identified in the Shu-Sarysu and Ili depressions of southern Kazakhstan.
- Today
Preparing new sections of uranium deposits for production through large-scale process-well drilling.
Over its 78-year history, Volkovgeology JSC has discovered more than 40 uranium deposits and helped establish Kazakhstan's world-leading uranium resource base, with reserves exceeding 1.3 million tonnes. Its core comprises 19 large sandstone-type deposits discovered by Volkovgeology JSC in southern Kazakhstan. These deposits are amenable to efficient in-situ recovery (ISR).
These discoveries helped make Kazakhstan the global leader in identified uranium reserves amenable to ISR.
Solid minerals
In addition to its work in the uranium industry, Volkovgeology JSC has carried out prospecting and exploration for solid minerals, which resulted in:
- discovery of the Rodnikovoye polymetallic deposit with reserves approved by the State Reserves Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan
- discovery of the Kuygan-Maybulak group of copper deposits
- exploration of a number of facing-stone deposits: green granite, marbled conglomerates and tuffs
- exploration of gold occurrences in the Greater Karatau and Shu-Ili-Kendyktas regions
- a large volume of geological surveys and drilling operations in the People's Republic of China
Awards
- Order of the Red Banner of Labour; challenge banners of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions and VDNKh of the USSR
- Swiss awards programme for leading enterprises — European Grand Prix for Quality — 2014
- Winner of the National Industry Contest of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Golden Hephaestus" in the category "National Pride" — 2011
- Victory of the director of the branch "Geological Exploration Expedition No. 7" in the "Golden Hephaestus" contest in the category "Geologist of the Year" — 2012
Company structure
The structure of Volkovgeology JSC includes the Central Administration and six branches.
Mission of Volkovgeology JSC
Conducting geological exploration to expand and replenish the resource base of Kazakhstan's uranium industry and solid minerals in line with the principles of sustainable development.
Corporate values
- 01Safety
- 02Responsibility
- 03Professionalism
- 04Development
- 05Teamwork
Development strategy
Volkovgeology JSC Development Strategy for 2025–2034
The Strategy is the Company's core long-term document. It sets the strategic direction of the Company and its strategic goals and objectives for the next ten years, and defines the mission, vision, strategic key performance indicators, goals and objectives, and the mechanism for achieving them.
The Strategy is aligned with the Development Strategy of NAC Kazatomprom JSC, the Company's Charter and its Sustainable Development Policy. It builds on the Company's role as Kazatomprom's principal enterprise for geological support of all the group's operations and for process-well drilling in mine development at its uranium producers.
The Company aims to build a flexible, innovative and advanced organisation that adapts effectively to changing market conditions and remains a leader in exploration, well drilling and construction, and in securing the resource base of the domestic uranium industry.
Strategic goal 1
Accelerated growth of the uranium mineral resource base to ensure a sustainable supply for Kazatomprom's uranium producers, support socio-economic development and maintain the required level of Kazakhstan's economic security
- Strategic objective 1Improve the geological knowledge of the subsurface through exploration in Kazakhstan
- Strategic objective 2Improve the quality of forecasting based on the analysis of historical geological data
Strategic goal 2
Growth in enterprise value through higher operational efficiency
- Strategic objective 3Improve the efficiency and quality of exploration through modern technologies
- Strategic objective 4Improve the efficiency of drilling and construction of process wells
- Strategic objective 5Diversify the Company's activities and develop its research and engineering capacity
- Strategic objective 6Develop HR business partnering
- Strategic objective 7Pursue sustainable development based on ESG principles and introduce new business practices