Navoi’s ‘cyclic-flow’ IPCC at Muruntau: design and ramp implications for mine planners
Reviewed by Joe Ashwell

First reported on International Mining – News
30 Second Briefing
Navoi Mining & Metallurgical Company has commissioned a new “cyclic-flow” in-pit crushing and conveying (IPCC) system on the southern flank of the Muruntau open pit to optimise ore transport to permanent and temporary stockpiles. The complex integrates truck haulage to an in-pit crusher with belt conveyors for continuous ore transfer, reducing reliance on long uphill truck ramps and diesel-intensive haul cycles. For mine planners and geotechnical teams, the layout fixes pit exit points and ramp geometries, influencing future pushback design and slope stability management around conveyor corridors.
Technical Brief
- Cyclic-flow complexes at Muruntau are being rolled out as part of a wider production expansion.
- NMMC frames the southern flank installation as an “investment project” directly tied to higher precious metal output.
- Ore routing explicitly caters for both permanent stockpiles and short-term temporary storage facilities within the pit logistics.
- The complex is described as one of several cyclic-flow systems “widely applied” across the Muruntau operation.
- Project scope is limited to ore transport optimisation; no mention of waste or overburden handling integration.
- Language used by NMMC suggests further cyclic-flow IPCC complexes are planned as the open pit deepens.
- For other large open pits, similar cyclic-flow layouts could lock in long-term ramp and haulage geometries.
Our Take
Navoi Mining & Metallurgical Company’s recent upgrade to a ‘BB’ long-term credit rating suggests that large-scale infrastructure such as the cyclic-flow IPCC at the Muruntau deposit is being delivered against a backdrop of improving access to external finance, which can support further pit expansion or additional material handling phases.
Within our database of precious metals project coverage, Muruntau stands out as one of the few long-life gold operations where in-pit crushing and conveying is being systematically rolled out, signalling that NMMC is positioning the asset to stay competitive on unit mining costs as stripping ratios increase.
For practitioners, the combination of a precious metals orebody and a fully integrated IPCC system at Murunatu pit is notable because most IPCC deployments in our coverage are tied to bulk commodities; this raises the bar for other high-tonnage gold operations evaluating whether similar capital-intensive systems can be justified on ore value rather than volume alone.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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