A Kazakh delegation led by Vice Minister of Industry and Construction Iran Sharkhan took part in PDAC 2026, the world’s leading mining and exploration conference hosted by the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada in Toronto.
During the event, the Ministry of Industry and Construction, in partnership with the Kazakhstan Chamber of Mines and Aurora Minerals Group Limited, and with support from the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Canada, organised the international forum “Kazakhstan Day.” The session focused on the country’s geological potential and exploration opportunities.
The forum drew representatives from major international and Canadian mining companies, including Zijin Mining Group, B2Gold, First Quantum Minerals, Hatch, Arras Minerals and Xcalibur Smart Mapping.
In his address, Iran Sharkhan stressed that the government places strategic importance on improving the geological knowledge base of Kazakhstan’s territory. Over the next three years, approximately $500 million is expected to be allocated to geological exploration, exceeding the total state investment in exploration over the previous three decades.
According to the Vice Minister, systematic expansion of exploration activities and the opening of new territories for prospecting will create improved conditions for foreign investment and deeper international cooperation in the mining and metallurgical sector.
Participants were also presented with an overview of key geological discoveries made in 2024–2025, along with successful examples of joint projects implemented with foreign partners.
On the sidelines of PDAC, the head of the delegation held a series of bilateral meetings with Canadian and international mining executives interested in launching new projects in Kazakhstan. Discussions focused on cooperation in critical minerals, the application of advanced exploration and mining technologies, and potential joint ventures in downstream processing of Kazakh raw materials.
Officials said Kazakhstan’s participation at PDAC 2026 underscored sustained international interest in the country’s resource base and demonstrated its readiness to expand partnerships with Canadian and global investors across the mining value chain.
