President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has reviewed the latest developments and future plans for Uzbekistan’s coal and uranium industries during a recent presentation, according to the presidential press service.
Discussions centred on increasing coal output, strengthening competition within the sector, and improving the use of existing reserves. It was noted that during the 2025–2026 autumn-winter season, the country plans to extract 10 million tonnes of coal — 1.3 million tonnes more than last season. Production so far has reached 9 million tonnes, up by 590,000 tonnes year-on-year, with next season’s goal set at 11 million tonnes.
Efforts will focus on faster development of deposits in the Tashkent and southern regions, expanding selective extraction, and engaging additional excavators and outsourced equipment. By supporting private entrepreneurs, authorities expect to produce an extra 2.5 million tonnes of coal in 2026.
Particular attention was given to the “Nishbosh” coal deposit in Angren, where a nearly $500 million investment project is set to begin production this year. With reserves of about 233 million tonnes, the site is expected to yield 1 million tonnes of coal in its first year and reach an annual output of 10 million tonnes. The project will also create around 880 permanent jobs.
Separately, state company Uzkimyosanoat unveiled a $5 billion initiative to establish a new polymer production facility based on the chemical processing of coal. The plant will be capable of converting 8–9 million tonnes of coal into 1.18 million tonnes of polymer products annually.
In 2025, Uzbekistan produced 7,000 tonnes of uranium while confirmed reserves rose to 139,000 tonnes. This year, the government plans to start mining operations at four new deposits — Arnasay, Western Kizilkuk, Southern Jongeldi, and Eastern Agron. To accommodate rising output, additional uranium processing capacity will be developed, including stable supplies of sulphuric acid and technical sulphur.
