At the start of the new year, Kyrgyzstan is taking stock of major mining projects implemented by domestic companies over the past period. One of the most significant developments came in August, when Kumtor Gold Company, one of the country’s largest subsoil users, launched underground gold mining at the Kumtor deposit in the Issyk-Kul region.
At the same time, 147 tonnes of gold were added to the company’s balance sheet, providing enough reserves for 17 years of underground operations, which are being carried out alongside open-pit mining. Overall, the Kumtor mine is expected to remain in operation for at least another 40–50 years. The underground project is designed to minimize waste rock extraction and reduce environmental impact, including protecting local glaciers.
Last year, Kumtor Gold Company also began processing tailings from the Kumtor tailings storage facility, expanding resource utilization. In August, several other mining enterprises were launched, including the Shah Tal gold mine in the Naryn region and the Kozho Kelen and Besh-Burkhan coal mines in the Osh region.
In October, Kyrgyzgeology obtained a license to develop the Nasonovskoye polymetallic deposit in the Chui region, which is estimated to contain 751,000 tonnes of ore, 5.6 tonnes of gold and 4,600 tonnes of copper.
Projects related to strategically important metals have received less public attention, though local media reported that a Kyrgyz-Chinese company for rare metals development was registered in April. At the INFOCM 2025 international forum on critical minerals in May, a representative of the Ministry of Natural Resources said Kyrgyzstan has 11 rare earth deposits, with Kutessay II among the largest, holding reserves of 63,300 tonnes.
