The XVI International Mining and Metallurgy Congress Astana Mining & Metallurgy — AMM 2026 hosted the award ceremony for the winners of the National Industry Competition 'Golden Hephaestus'. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

The competition annually recognizes the best projects, people, achievements, and professional initiatives in Kazakhstan's mining and metallurgy industry.

According to the competition results, Andrey Berg, Director of the Steel Department at Qarmet, was named the winner in the 'Metallurgist of the Year' category. He has over 30 years of experience in the mining and metallurgy industry and is a representative of the famous Temirtau metallurgist dynasty.

He began his professional career in 1992 as an assistant steelmaker in the open-hearth shop. He consistently held production and management positions, rising from worker to director of the steel department.

'This award is the merit of the entire Qarmet company, the flagship of Kazakhstan's ferrous metallurgy. The enterprise is upgrading production capacities, introducing modern technologies, and implementing large-scale projects aimed at improving production efficiency and reliability. But the main value of the company remains its people — professionals dedicated to their work. It is thanks to their knowledge, experience, and daily work that we are confidently moving forward. This award is the result of the work of the entire team and another incentive for further development,' said Andrey Berg.

Under his leadership in 2025, the steel department achieved significant production results. Over 3.7 million tons of steel, over 2.4 million tons of coke, and over 5.6 million tons of sinter were produced. The volume of shipped products exceeded 3.3 million tons. The metallurgical plant switched to natural gas for the first time in its history.

In 2026, the department continues to steadily fulfill the production program. With Berg's direct participation, modernization of key facilities is underway, and investment projects such as the construction of new coke batteries No. 8-9, a section rolling mill, a galvanizing line, and a state-of-the-art casting and rolling complex are being implemented.

The second winner in the 'Geologist of the Year' category was Ruslan Khismatullin. He is the Chief Geologist of the Coal Department of Karaganda Komir LLP, part of Qarmet. He has over 18 years of work experience.

'Receiving such an award is very prestigious. I am grateful for the high appreciation of my work. Geology is the foundation of stable and safe coal mining. The quality of our work affects mine planning, efficiency, and most importantly, the safety of miners. I would like to wish all young specialists to realize their potential in the right directions. Today, the coal department faces large-scale tasks. We continue to study reserves, improve work approaches, and create a reliable production base,' noted Ruslan Khismatullin.

The awards received are recognition of the company's systematic work in modernizing production, introducing modern technologies, and developing the professional potential of the team.

Today, Qarmet is implementing large-scale projects in metallurgy, coal, and iron ore, consistently improving production efficiency and paying special attention to industrial safety.

The victory in the 'Golden Hephaestus' competition confirms the contribution of the company and its employees to the development of Kazakhstan's mining and metallurgy complex.