Loyalty to science and industry: Era Li is a recognized specialist in the mining and metallurgical industry of Kazakhstan

The development of the mining and metallurgical complex of Kazakhstan cannot be imagined without the dedicated work of scientists and engineers who devoted their lives to science and industry. One of these outstanding personalities is Era Mengukovna Li, a person whose name is inextricably linked with the history of domestic science in the field of mineral processing.

Era Mengukovna Li is the head of the department of mineral processing and semi-industrial testing of the branch of the RSE “National Center on Complex Processing of Mineral Raw Materials of the Republic of Kazakhstan” of the State Research and Production Association of Industrial Ecology “Kazmekhanobr” (hereinafter referred to as Kazmekhanobr). A graduate of the North Caucasus Mining and Metallurgical Institute in 1970, she devoted more than 55 years of her professional activity to one scientific institution - Kazmekhanobru, where she was assigned and with which her entire work biography is connected.

Having worked her way up from an engineer to the head of a key research and production unit, Era Mengukovna made a significant contribution to the development of technologies for the enrichment of complex and refractory ores. Under her direct leadership, technological solutions were developed for the processing of polymetallic, lead-zinc, copper, rare, ferrous and gold ores, deposits such as Kundyzdy, Shalkiya, Ansai, Akzhal, Shokpar, Akzhar, Sarytumskoye, Gagarinskoye, Hadzhikongan, Chinasyl-Sai, Kostobe and others.

Era Mengukovna's developments in the field of flotation of refractory ores and complex extraction of polymetallic and precious metals formed the basis of technological regulations for the design and construction of many processing plants in Kazakhstan. A special place in her scientific activity is occupied by the processing of man-made formations (stale tailings of Dubersay and Donskoy GOK, Balkhash processing plant, Sokolovsko-Sarbaisky mining and processing production association, Tekeli processing plant, Bayaldirsky tailings dump and others), which makes it possible to return valuable components to the production cycle and reduce the environmental load on the environment.

The merits of Era Mengukovna Lee have received high recognition at the state and industry levels. She is a full holder of the sign of labor valor, awarded the “Enbek Danky” badges of II and III degrees, as well as the “Enbek Ardageri” medal. For the development of innovative approaches to the complex processing of copper ores containing gold and silver, she was awarded the prestigious prize named after Academician E.A. Buketova. On January 5, 2026, Era Mengukovna Li celebrated her 80th birthday. On this significant day, we express our deep respect and gratitude for her many years of work, scientific achievements and dedication, which have become a solid basis for the development of mining and metallurgical science in Kazakhstan. We wish you good health, prosperity, long life and inexhaustible energy for new professional achievements for the benefit of the country.