Kazakhstan is set to hold a large-scale electronic auction in June 2025, offering 50 solid mineral deposits, including gold, copper, coal, polymetals, and rare earth elements, according to Almas Kushumov, Director of the Subsoil Use Department at the Ministry of Industry and Construction. He made the announcement during the MINEX Kazakhstan forum.
The rights will be granted for both exploration and extraction, with deposits containing balance reserves to be auctioned directly for mining. The full list of deposits is expected to be published in the coming days.
Kushumov noted that 117 deposits were auctioned via e-auctions in 2023–2024, bringing in over 20 billion tenge in signing bonuses for the state. In 2024, 43 new deposits were officially registered, including 22 solid mineral sites. Resource growth figures include:
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20 tons of gold
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9,000 tons of silver
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48,000 tons of copper
Kazakhstan’s current reserve lifespan is estimated at 33 years for gold and 44 years for copper, based on current production levels.
Minister of Industry and Construction Kanat Sharlapayev previously stated that companies from the United States, the European Union, and China would be able to participate in the auctions for rare and rare earth metal rights. He emphasized that competition among major players in the global critical materials market—used in dual-use goods, renewable energy tech, electric vehicles, and more—could help maximize Kazakhstan’s revenues.
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“This will be a high-interest auction. The competition between Western countries and China in the rare earth sector gives us the opportunity to attract the best offers,” Sharlapayev said.
