Annually, the Forum brings together executives from national and international mining and exploration companies, service and technology companies, industry ministries and intergovernmental organisations, as well as investment funds and banks.  The previous Forum was attended (in person) by 357 representatives from 170 mining and metallurgical and service companies, authorities, and manufacturers of equipment for exploration, mining and processing of ores and minerals from 16 countries from Kazakhstan and overseas.

The Forum stimulates exchange between Kazakhstani and international mining companies, ministries, stock exchanges and institutional investors, non-profit organizations and associations, and law and consulting companies’ experts on the key trends, projects and success stories in the field of subsoil use. Innovative technologies are presented at technical sessions, master classes and business tracks.

Main topics of the Forum

One of the important objectives of the Forum is the presentation of innovative technologies and practices to the local mining and exploration industry. The international exhibition, held within the framework of the Forum, enhances opportunities for business engagement and promotion of technologies offered by Kazakhstani and international companies. About a third of exhibitors specialise in the production and supply of equipment for geological prospecting, extraction, processing and transportation of metals and minerals. The second largest segment of exhibitors specialises in digitalisation and automation of production. The third largest group of exhibitors provides services and equipment for geological prospecting, drilling, and blasting operations.

The 2nd Conference on Digital Transformation – Mining Goes Digital, held alongside the Forum, offers a cross-industry platform for the presentation and exchange of the experience of digital transformation of companies and government organisations operating in the mining industry.

18 companies presented project cases and technologies for the digitalisation of individual mines and the whole mining chains during the Conference.

Industry competitions organised alongside the Forum are open for Kazakhstani and foreign companies.

Presentations submitted to the contenders are evaluated by competent jury panels from representatives of leading Kazakhstani and international companies. All contenders will receive commemorative diplomas. The winners will be awarded prizes. The results are widely disseminated via press releases and posts on the media platforms supporting the Forum. Materials presented at the competitions are published online and distributed to the participants after the Forum.

The digitalisation of industrial production is one of the priorities of Kazakhstan's economic development. According to official estimates, the digitalisation of mining production can increase the efficiency of almost all enterprises of the mining and metallurgical industry by 10-15 per cent and reduce the cost of mining and transportation operations. At small and medium-sized enterprises, this potential is up to 50% or more. Many enterprises in the mining and metallurgical industry have already formed a digital transformation strategy.

For the second year in a row, the organisers of the Forum organised a competition of technologies for the digital transformation of mining and metallurgical enterprises – MineDigital. The competition is aimed at the companies that provide solutions for the digitalisation and automation of production processes in the mining and metals sectors ranging from the creation of digital cores to the construction of digital mine twins.

The winners of the MineDigital competition were announced at the Gala Dinner on 20 April.  Open the announcement.

The Forum was attended by 524 representatives from 231 mining and metallurgical and service companies, governmental bodies, and manufacturers of equipment for exploration, mining and processing of ores and minerals.

30 countries were represented at the forum in Astana. More than half of the in-person participants of the forum live and work in Kazakhstan. Besides the local companies, the largest groups of participants were from Russia, the United Kingdom, Australia and Turkey.

The live broadcast of the main sessions of the Forum was watched by 149 viewers. More than half connected from Kazakhstan, 20% from Russia and 8% from the UK. The rest of the viewers were from Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Canada, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Mongolia, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United States and Uzbekistan.

509 in-person visitors were registered at the exhibition.  As admission to the exhibition did not require pre-registration, the number of visitors was higher and is estimated at about 600-700 people.

Most of the registered visitors work at Kazakhstani and International mining and metallurgical enterprises, Equipment suppliers and Service sectors.  The rest of the visitors work in government organisations, Universities, IT, Financial and Trading companies. The exhibition was also visited by foreign specialists from Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom,  Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, China, France, Germany, Mongolia, the USA, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.