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kazakhstan coal continued 2017," said Victor Schukin, CEO Bogatyr. "Today we eye an important task, the modernization of mining operations and the construction of the internal dump. At the same time we need to keep the current level of costs for coal production low and achieve a significant increase in labor productivity in the foreseeable future. Until 2017, it should not be an additional cost of work, so without the unnecessary investment, we could keep not very high prices for our products." Substituting Renewables With a new energy doctrine oriented toward renewable energy resources currently under government consideration, the situation may change and the Kazakhstan coal industry could lose ground in the long-term outlook. According to official statistics, at present, 75% of the country's electricity is produced by coal-fired power stations. Gas accounts for 11%. Hydroelectricity provides 10%. Wind and solar combined provide less than 0.5%. "If we consider the strong investment and the scientific approach to all three of these types of ener- September 2013 Table 2—Largest Coal Companies & Mines of Kazakhstan 2008 2012 2013(est.) Karaganda basin Temirtau mine (JSC Arcerlor Mittal ) 12.85 17.0 17 Ekibastuzsky basin Bogatyr Access Komir —Bogatyr mine —Severnyi mine Oriental mine (JSC ECE) Ekibastuz mine (JSC Angrensor) 44 34 10 18.5 2 50 40 12 21.6 4 50 40 12 21.7 4 Shubarkol coal deposit Shubarkol mine (JSC Sharbukol) Zapadni mine (JSC Sharbukol) 5.5 0.34 7.5 5 8.25 4.5 Maikuben basin Maikuben mine (JSC Maikuben West) Karazhyra mine (JSC Karazhyra) UD Borly 4.2 4.75 9.2 6 5 8.4 6 5 8.7 gy, it is quite possible that we will be able to increase their share in the structure of total electricity generation in the country to 13% in coming years," Issekeshev said. It is not clear when the "coming years" will come, but it is obvious that energy from renewable sources will be used to replace energy from coal domestically. Currently all largest producers and industry experts say that coal miners in Kazakhstan have nothing to fear until 2020, and by then attitudes about power and renewable fuels versus coal may change. www.coalage.com 43