After reviewing the mining and metallurgical facilities launched across the country last year, Kazakhstan is now turning its attention to key sector development plans for the year ahead. Several large-scale projects are set to move forward, spanning titanium, zirconium, polymetals and copper production.
In 2026, the Obukhov Mining and Processing Plant in the North Kazakhstan region is scheduled to be relaunched at the Obukhov titanium-zirconium deposit. Rare Metals Kazakhstan plans to mine up to 800,000 tonnes of ore annually and produce around 30,000 tonnes of rutile-zirconium concentrate and ilmenite. Most of the output will be exported to China, which dominates global production and consumption of rare and rare-earth metals.
Another project involving the resumption of mining is underway in the Kyzylorda region, where development of the Shalkiya polymetallic deposit will continue. The asset belongs to a subsidiary of Tau-Ken Samruk. The concentrator is designed to process up to 4 million tonnes of ore per year, with total investments in the non-ferrous metals project estimated at 323 billion tenge.
In addition, a hydrometallurgical plant is expected to open in the Pavlodar region next year. Fonet Er-Tai Mining plans to produce cathode copper using raw materials from the Kodzhanchad group of deposits. The facility will have an annual capacity of 5,000 tonnes, with investments totaling 9.4 billion tenge.
Another major development is the launch of a mining and processing plant at the Koksai deposit in the Zhetysu region. Construction is being carried out by the Consolidated Construction Mining Company, a subsidiary of Kazakhmys. The project предусматривает annual production of up to 50 million tonnes of copper ore. In addition to copper, the deposit contains silver and gold, with total ore reserves exceeding 823 million tonnes. Total capital expenditures for the project reached 976 billion tenge.
