Satbayev University, in partnership with the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) and the Korea National Institute of Rare Metals (KORAM), will establish a Kazakh-Korean Centre for Rare and Rare Earth Metals Research at the Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation in Almaty.
During a joint meeting, representatives of the three institutions discussed the next stages of the project, including the installation of advanced scientific equipment and future areas of research and technological cooperation.
According to the Korean partners, the new centre will serve as a leading research platform for training highly qualified specialists in rare and rare earth metals, while providing Kazakh researchers with access to state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and expanding opportunities for scientific research and technology development.
Satbayev University Rector Professor Meiram Begentayev said the initiative would combine the scientific expertise of Kazakhstan and South Korea to advance technologies for the deep processing of strategic mineral resources, strengthen research capabilities and support the development of internationally competitive specialists.
The project aligns with Kazakhstan’s strategy to expand value-added processing of mineral resources. The country is currently a global supplier of 21 of the 34 minerals identified as critical raw materials.
The centre is expected to become one of Kazakhstan’s first specialised full-cycle research and technology facilities dedicated to rare and rare earth metals. It will focus on developing environmentally friendly technologies for producing high- and ultra-high-purity rare metals and rare earth elements, with research progressing through pilot testing to industrial implementation.
In addition to technology development, the centre will conduct both fundamental and applied research, as well as pilot-scale testing of new technologies for the integrated processing of primary mineral resources and secondary industrial materials.
