The Lisakovsk deposit is located within the western side of the Turgai trough, in the Eltaisko-Kurzhunkul ore region. It was formed by sedimentation processes and the filling of the Lisakovskaya river valley. It is a shallow sheet-like deposit, elongated along strike for 100 kilometers with a width that varies from several hundred meters to 6 kilometers. The iron mineralization at Lisakovsk occurs as an oolite deposit containing mainly hydro-goethite and goethite. The deposit has relatively high phosphorous content which can limit its utilization in the steel-making process.

The iron ore deposit at Lisakovsk, North Kazakhstan, is a limonitic one of oolitic type and the major iron minerals are goethite and about 0.5 % magnetite. The gangue minerals are predominantly quartz and clay like minerals such as carbonates, chlorite and other aluminosilicates as reported in a comparative study by Kosava et all. The phosphorus content in the iron concentrate is about 0.6 – 0.8 % and the studies has shown that it is not represented as separable from iron minerals species.

The iron mineralization at Lisakovsk occurs as oolite containing mainly hygogoethite and goethite. The phosphorous content in the mineralization limits its utilization in the steel-making process.

The main ore mineral is hydrogelite, nonmetallic is quartz. According to texture-structural genetic
characteristics and physical properties, oolithic ores are divided into two types: loose oolithic
and massive. Three structural species are distinguished in the ores: thick-oolithic ore composed mainly of ore oolithes (50-80%) with a subordinate amount of cement and quartz; rareoolithic ores, consisting of ore oolithes (less than 50%) with predominance of cement and free quartz and fine-oolithic cemented ores. A component of the oolithes is the hydrogenerite of two generations with a finely dispersed admixture of ferrochlorite clay substance. The sizes of oolithes range from 0.05 to 0.60 mm, 0.2-0.6 mm predominate.

The main ore mineral is hydrogelite, nonmetallic is quartz. According to texture-structural genetic characteristics and physical properties, oolithic ores are divided into two types: loose oolithic and massive.

Three structural species are distinguished in the ores: thick-oolithic ore, composed mainly of ore oolithes (50-80%) with a subordinate amount of cement and quartz; rare-oolithic ores, consisting of ore oolithes (less than 50%) with predominance of cement and free quartz and fine-oolithic cemented ores. A component of the oolithes is the hydrogenerite of two generations with a finely dispersed admixture of ferrochlorite clay substance. The sizes of oolithes range from 0.05 to 0.60 mm, 0.2-0.6 mm predominate. Layered natured ores are often of the oolithic structure, often deformed, consists mainly of hydrogite, chlorite and calcium phosphate. Oolithes are fissured, so they resist weakly to grinding. Magnetite is represented by thin crystalline particles smaller than 0.005 mm. The ore can be slightly oxidized (martitized). Chlorite belongs to the chamoisite type, it contains magnesium and ferrous iron. Calcium phosphate belongs to the apatite group, its molecule can contain one or more OH groups and, possibly, a little SiO2 instead of PO4 (Muhammed M., Zhang Yu. 2011). Its morphology can be different - amorphous and pseudohexagonal. A theory is known that phosphate anions absorb and grow on the surface of the gel ferrohydrate and phosphorus is excluded from the iron ore lattice inside the crystals of liquid cement dehydrate and recrystallized.

Lisakovsk (or Lisakovsky) is a production stage open pit mine located in northwest Kazakhstan.

Ore is excavated at the mine by traditional truck and shovel methods before being transported by rail to the processing facility located at the site.

Lisakovskiy ore lies at a shallow depth, extraction requires stripping 5-15 m. Mining is conducted
without the production of explosions by excavators. The ore mainly consists of oolithes of 0.2-0.6 mm in size bound by clayey constituents.

In the ore base of Lisakovskiy MPP there are 4 groups of deposits: Main, South, Steppe and East. The main reserves (75%) are concentrated in the Main Deposit, which is being processed.

The existing mining license was extended through a new subsoil use agreement granted in 2020 for 25 years and is due to expire in 2044.

The assets of the Lisakovsky branch of Orken LLP include a mine, a railway shop, a gravitymagnetic enrichment plant for processing the original ore to produce iron ore concentrate.

The production process comprises crushing, screening, grinding, wet jigging and wet magnetic separation.

Oolithes have low strength and are easily crushed in a ball mill to a particle size of less than 0.044 mm for 12 minutes.

Lisakovskaya ore is currently being enriched using the method of jigging with the cleaning of middling using wet magnetic separation without grinding the oolites.

Final iron ore products are transported to the ArcelorMittal Temirtau steel plant by railway.