GRK Manka, a company within the Turkish-Dutch holding CoreX Holding, plans to significantly expand the resource base of the Manka gold deposit in East Kazakhstan Region. Through a new phase of exploration drilling, gold resources at the project could increase from the current 340,000 ounces to more than 400,000 ounces, equivalent to approximately 12.4 tonnes of gold.
In 2026, the investor intends to drill an additional 6,000 metres of exploration holes. The program is expected not only to confirm existing resources but also to increase them. Following the first stage of exploration, 195,000 ounces of gold (6.1 tonnes) have already been officially confirmed. Since acquiring the asset, the company has completed approximately 5,000 metres of drilling, including 10 diamond drill holes with a combined length of 2,000 metres.
The development history of the Manka deposit spans nearly a century. Between 1925 and 1954, approximately 300,000 tonnes of ore were mined, yielding 3.66 tonnes of gold at an average grade of 12.24 grams per tonne — an exceptionally high figure by industry standards. Modern processing technologies make it possible to profitably treat much lower-grade ore, which significantly increases the project’s potential.
CoreX Holding plans to begin mining operations at Manka as early as 2026. According to preliminary estimates, the mine will operate for up to nine years, with total extractable ore exceeding 645,000 tonnes. This would place the project among the region’s notable gold-producing operations.
The project demonstrates that foreign investors continue to invest in Kazakhstan’s mineral exploration sector despite global economic uncertainty. Sustained high gold prices are encouraging companies to expand resources and bring new mining projects into production. For Kazakhstan, this means additional investment, new jobs, and increased tax revenues.
Source: qazba.kz
Image: weproject.media
