In 2025, Kazakhstan’s leading mining and metals companies continued to expand environmental programmes focused on emissions reduction, waste processing and biodiversity protection, while also completing several major renewable energy projects.
In December, Solidcore Resources announced the completion of a solar power plant at its Varvarinskoye gold mine. The facility has an installed capacity of 22.6 MW and is expected to generate around 28.5 million kWh of electricity annually. The project, which includes more than 36,000 solar panels and a supplementary gas piston power plant to cover periods of low solar output, required investments of about 29 billion tenge. Solidcore estimates that switching Varvarinskoye to renewable energy will cut indirect greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 50%.
Another major producer, Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), reported in September that all 24 wind turbines had been installed near its Donskoy Mining and Processing Plant. Once operating at full capacity, the wind farm is expected to generate more than 500 million kWh of electricity per year. The project will allow ERG to save over 300,000 tonnes of coal annually and reduce emissions by up to 440,000 tonnes.
Alongside renewable energy investments, ERG also launched processing of accumulated tailings at the Donskoy plant. Chromium is now being recovered from technogenic mineral raw materials using flotation technology, supporting both waste reduction and resource efficiency.
Another notable initiative is the gasification of the Qarmet metallurgical plant. In July, the company began pressure testing and commissioning a new gas pipeline. Partial replacement of fuel oil and coke with natural gas is expected to significantly reduce atmospheric emissions from steel production.
Together, these projects highlight a broader shift by Kazakhstan’s mining and metals sector toward cleaner energy, circular resource use and lower environmental impact.
