The Nurkazgan deposit is the largest porphyry Cu–Au deposit in Kazakhstan.
The host rocks consist of granodiorite porphyry, quartz diorite porphyry, quartz diorite and diorite.
Zircon U–Pb dating yields the Nurkazgan deposit formed at Silurian (440–437 Ma) rather than Devonian.
Ore-bearing magmas derived from the lithospheric mantle in a Silurian intra-oceanic island arc setting.