The 15th anniversary MINEX Kazakhstan Forum has officially opened in Astana, bringing together over 450 delegates and more than 100 speakers from 30 countries, including Central Asia, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Australia. The forum emphasizes Kazakhstan’s growing importance in the global mineral resource market.
The central theme of the event is “A New Era in Kazakhstan’s Mineral Development: From Exploration to Processing.” Key discussions focused on sustainable development, ESG principles, technological innovation, digitization, investment, exploration, and cross-border cooperation.
During the plenary session, Nikolai Radostovets, Executive Director of the Republican Association of Mining and Metallurgical Enterprises (AGMP), highlighted the need to continue reforms in subsoil use and taxation.
He praised the government’s proactive efforts in attracting both domestic and foreign investment in geological exploration. Over 3,000 licenses have been issued, demonstrating momentum in the sector. However, Radostovets emphasized that a second phase of subsoil use reform is necessary to address remaining legislative gaps.
Notably, he proposed splitting the current Subsoil Code into two separate laws — one for hydrocarbons and another for solid minerals — to better address the specific needs of each sector.
Radostovets also outlined key priorities for transforming the sector:
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Classifying exploration expenses as tax-deductible,
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Introducing agreements for processing low-grade deposits,
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Stimulating the processing of technogenic mineral formations,
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Developing a new Tax Code with provisions tailored to the mining sector.
One of the central issues is the introduction of royalties for new and existing deposits. While initial industry reactions were hesitant, similar to past transitions from contracts to licensing, Radostovets expressed optimism that fair and competitive royalty rates will encourage investment and higher value-added processing.
The executive also called for greater alignment between the Subsoil Code and other legislation, such as the Water and Land Codes, to address legal inconsistencies.
Legislative amendments — more than 60 proposals — are currently under review by the Ministry of Industry and Construction. A working group will begin public discussions in the coming weeks, and the finalized amendments are expected to be submitted to Parliament in September 2025.
Radostovets stressed the importance of coal as a strategic resource, advocating for investment in coal chemistry despite global calls to move away from coal combustion. He also promoted the development of industrial clusters, including copper and aluminum clusters, to support local value-added production.
“We are optimistic. The MINEX Kazakhstan Forum not only facilitates dialogue and debate but helps us move forward with meaningful reforms in Kazakhstan’s mining sector,” Radostovets concluded.
