The “Slavkaliy” of the Russian industrial and financial group “Safmar” belonging to oligarch Mikhail Gutseriyev will invest $ 600 million in the new potash project in Belarus — Nezhynski mining and processing complex in Luban District, Minsk Region, Gutseriyev said in an interview to RBC.
“Yes, we are active in Belarus, we are building a huge business with the help of God and by order of the head of Belarus and the Belarusian government. We have a deposit with reserves of about 3 billion tons of potash. We have found investors, China Development Bank gave us a credit line of 1.44 billion dollars for 14 years at the rate of 4% per annum. Of the total contract amount of $ 2 billion, we have to put in our part (300 million dollars) and pay all the interest. It is in the region of $ 600 million — that’s us, and 1.4 billion – it is the Chinese government,” said Gutseriyev.
According to him, the construction of the facility is done with participation of the German company Herrenknecht and “another German company.” Specialists have already begun to build a mine, the construction is planned to be over in four years.
Belarusian authorities and Gutseriyev agreed to build in the area of Luban Nezhynski mining and processing facility back in 2011. Before 2015, work on the project was slow. It was reactivated upon receipt of a loan from the China Development Bank. At a ceremony marking the start of construction, Lukashenka told Gutseriyev that if he “makes a candy out of Luban, it will be renamed to Gutseriyevsk”.
Katsyaryna Andreyeva, belsat.eu, photo president.gov.by
