Location:

	Political: The Kyrghyz Republic
	Geographic: Central Asia, Tien-Shan mountains, eastern Kirgizia, on the North-Western slope of the Ak-Shiyrak Ridge in the at an altitude of ~4000 m a.s.l.
	Geologic: within the Middle Tien-Shan, in ~10 km from the border with the Northern Tien-Shan

Contains 288 metric tons of gold @ average grade of 3.57g/t

	in the top 10-15 gold mines in the world
	annual production is ~600.000 oz (18600 kg) of gold
	revenue from the mine operation contributes ~20% to the GNP

Operated by the Kumtor Operating Company:

	33% Cameco Corporation (Canada)
	66% Kyrgyz-Altyn Concern, (Kyrgyz Government)

Was discovered in 1978 

	during a regional geophysical survey, one of the team members picked up a sample of mineralized phyllite, and by doing so proved one more time that the geophysicists have to use  geological techniques in order to find mineral deposits :-)
	in consequent 10-15 years exploration was completed
	First gold was poured in December 1996