Development and methods of mining management and metallurgical industry in the Republic of Tajikistan

The author analyzes the foundation of mining and metallurgical industry of Tajikistan using the available historical publications and predictive research of scientists of the Republic of Tajikistan and Russia, as well as mass media sources. The main purpose is to show the availability of mineral resources, historical and contemporary demand, condition and prospects for their development. It is noted that Tajikistan mining and geological surveys conducted by world scientific researchers revealed numerous remains of the Bronze Age settlements in the North and South of Tajikistan. The remains prove that alongside cattle breeding and farming the Persian and the Tajik people of that time were also engaged in mining, metal mining and pottery. The author adduces arguments for organizing international expedition to discover historical areas of formation of metallurgical production. The findings of the expedition include extremely interesting millennia-old achievements in development of job safety system and metal production in different territories. The results of the research were used to distinguish the characteristic features of the areas, their potential opportunities for further development of metallurgical industry in Middle Asia and especially in the Republic of Tajikistan. The development of mining and metallurgical industry in Tajikistan is of high expediency due to availability of mineral resources and cheap labour force. The measures taken on its sustainable supply of electric power and fuel resources are of special interest. The author points out that functioning of mining and metallurgical enterprises with the Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO) being the most significant of them resulted in creating a number of highly skilled jobs and building industrial facilities in the central region of the Republic. Analysis of the state of placement of hydropower resources in Middle Asia allows setting the priorities for development of this process in the Republic of Tajikistan. The author outlines major managerial problems of metallurgical industry in the Republic of Tajikistan and highlights the important peculiar features of management of mining enterprises under market conditions. For example, the transition to new institutional management methods due to implementing the tolling method of management provided the TALCO with the opportunity to escape bankruptcy and preserve the company.