The Uzbek Technological Metals Plant (UKTM) has officially joined the International Tungsten Industry Association (ITIA), according to the Uzbek news agency UzA. The ITIA brings together leading global companies involved in the extraction and processing of tungsten. With this move, Uzbekistan becomes the first Central Asian country to be represented in the association.
UKTM expects that membership in the ITIA will grant access to vital data and analytics on the global tungsten market and allow the plant to participate in international industry events.
The plant was established in June 2024 by the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine under presidential directive. It is tasked with developing and processing Uzbekistan’s reserves of rare and rare-earth metals, including lithium, tungsten, tantalum, niobium, magnesium, and others.
The enterprise is planning 34 research and geological exploration projects worth a total of $40 million. Farhad Abdullaev, formerly head of the Uchtepa district in Tashkent, has been appointed Chairman of the Board.
Earlier this year, Uzbekistan announced its intention to launch rare-earth material projects worth $500 million. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev instructed a 10–15% reduction in production costs at Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combine (NMMC), as well as the expansion of localization and industrial cooperation.
In March, the President was presented with industrial projects totaling $2.6 billion, aimed at developing minerals critical to Uzbekistan’s economy. Among them was the development of the Ingichka deposit and value-added tungsten concentrate enrichment, expected to double its added value.
The ITIA, founded in 1988, conducts tungsten market research, monitors regulatory developments, and coordinates scientific research. It currently includes 51 member companies from countries such as the U.S., Canada, the UK, Germany, China, and Japan.
