Kazakhstan plays a critical role in supplying critical raw materials to the European and global markets. The country has a unique heritage of technologies inherited from the Soviet Union, such as tantalum production, which it is developing further. Last year the European Union (EU) and Kazakhstan have established a strategic partnership to ensure the development of a secure and sustainable supply of raw materials and refined materials.

The partnership aims to create a roadmap for 2023-2024, including concrete joint actions carried out in close cooperation with relevant industrial and financial stakeholders from the EU and Kazakhstan. The UK has also set its sights on Kazakhstan as gateway to Central Asia’s resources, pledging investment and technical assistance to develop new deposits of energy metals. Kazakhstan has been increasing its exports of coal to Europe, with an 11% increase in 2022, highlighting the country’s importance in the global energy market. The Middle Corridor has been identified as a potential route to bypass Russia for exporting metals and energy, providing an alternative route that could enhance the security and reliability of energy and mineral supplies to Europe and beyond. With the EU and UK pledging investment and technical assistance to develop new deposits of energy metals and ensure a secure and sustainable supply of raw materials, Kazakhstan’s role as a crucial player in the global mining industry is set to continue to grow.