The Astana International Financial Centre has announced the launch of a dedicated Junior Mining Platform designed to bridge the funding gap between early-stage geological exploration companies and domestic and international investors, as Kazakhstan moves to unlock the vast mineral potential that remains hidden across 65% of its still geologically underexplored territory.
The platform was unveiled ahead of the MINEX Kazakhstan 2026 forum at the inaugural meeting of the AIFC’s newly established Mining Sector Expert Council — an advisory body bringing together leading industry participants including representatives of national companies, international investors and AIFC officials. Council members include Nariman Absametov, chairman of national geological holding Tau-Ken Samruk; Yerlan Galiyev, chairman of the National Geological Survey; Aida Alzhanova, deputy chief executive of Solidcore Resources; Said Sultanov, founder of Aurora Minerals Group; and Tim Barry, chief executive of Arras Minerals Corp.
The Junior Mining Platform will see the AIFC act as an intermediary between licence holders and capital providers, screening and selecting projects according to recognised industry criteria before presenting them to investors. The initiative is intended to address what the AIFC describes as the sector’s most acute structural problem: a lack of structured access to capital at the exploration stage. Kazakhstan currently has approximately 3,000 active geological exploration licences requiring investment, yet many projects are unable to access financing due to limited reserve confirmation under internationally recognised standards such as JORC and KAZRC.
AIFC chief product officer Zhanbolat Kakishev said the platform was designed to create “a transparent and understandable environment where projects can attract financing at early stages, and investors can access a pipeline of projects selected according to industry-recognised criteria.” Among the financial instruments the AIFC plans to introduce through the platform are royalty arrangements, streaming agreements and earn-in deals — tools widely used in international junior mining markets but less established in Kazakhstan.
The backdrop to the launch is significant. Kazakhstan’s mining sector contributed 12.1% of GDP and approximately 33% of total national exports in 2024. The country holds substantial reserves of copper, gold, chromium, rare earth elements and other critical minerals, and mining and metallurgy currently account for 17% — or $3 billion — of total foreign direct investment. Against that backdrop, the global capital requirement for the extractive sector is estimated to reach $2.1 trillion by 2050, presenting a substantial opportunity for Kazakhstan to position itself as a regional investment hub if early-stage financing barriers can be reduced.
Junior companies wishing to participate in the platform can submit applications and review selection criteria on the AIFC’s official website.
