Uzbekistan has launched a new scientific center dedicated to critical minerals, established on the initiative of the Technological Metals Combine (TMK) and located inside the National Library. According to the company, this is the country’s first innovation hub designed to connect science with industrial development and serve as a national analytical platform for critical raw materials.
The center will operate as an open-access facility for researchers, students, and industry specialists. TMK plans to implement more than 50 projects related to strategic minerals between 2025 and 2027, including 13 new production facilities.
The Ministry of Mining and Geology reports that Uzbekistan holds deposits containing 28 types of critical minerals, including copper, lithium, graphite, germanium, tungsten, vanadium, tantalum, niobium, and rare-earth elements.
By 2028, the country aims to complete 70 projects focused on developing strategically important mineral resources, with a total investment portfolio exceeding $1.6 billion.