Uzbekistan is accelerating its ambition to become a major force in the global tungsten industry, with the Uzbekistan Technological Metals Complex (TMK) spearheading a comprehensive value-chain strategy supported by advanced technologies and large-scale mining projects. Tungsten, increasingly regarded as the “energy currency” of the global economy, is essential for sectors including green energy, aerospace, automotive, mechanical engineering, chemicals, and space technologies.
TMK, established under the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, has already become the first plant in Central Asia to join the International Tungsten Association—marking a significant step toward integrating Uzbekistan into advanced industrial supply chains. Today, TMK operates across the full tungsten production chain: upstream, midstream, and downstream.
Upstream activities include geological exploration and development of key deposits. The flagship Sarikul project in the Samarkand region holds an estimated 30,000 tonnes of tungsten metal and is designed to process up to 1 million tonnes of ore annually. The operation is expected to produce 4,000 tonnes of tungsten concentrate per year—meeting 65% of international quality standards—and sustain up to 20 years of production. Over 400 jobs will be created as part of this project.
TMK is also boosting tungsten recovery from mining waste at the Ingichka deposit through a partnership with China’s Xinhai, increasing concentrate output to 1,050 tonnes and generating projected revenues of $18.4 million. Additional cooperation with Chinese investor Red Persimmon will expand ore extraction to 900,000 tonnes annually, enabling production of up to 5,040 tonnes of concentrate. A separate joint project with Turkey’s International Gold Madencilik at the Sautbay deposit aims to produce 4,811 tonnes of concentrate.
Midstream development includes the construction of a new hydrometallurgical facility in the Samarkand region, leveraging engineering expertise from Canada, Australia, Finland, and Turkey. Once completed, the plant will process 5,000 tonnes of concentrate by 2027, scaling to 15,000 tonnes by 2030—bringing the value of processed products to more than $300 million.
TMK’s downstream operations target high-value finished products that elevate the “Made in Uzbekistan” brand. The company is already producing tungsten briquettes, ingots, carbide drill bits, milling tools, electrodes, and drilling equipment, with production increasingly automated and aligned with ESG and IRMA standards. Finished tungsten products are currently being exported to major industrial markets in Europe and the United States, with expansion into Japan and South Korea underway.
Upon full implementation of its industrial program, TMK expects tungsten concentrate production in Uzbekistan to rise from 300 tonnes to 14,950 tonnes—an increase of nearly 50-fold. Output of tungsten anhydride will grow from 76 tonnes to 4,860 tonnes, while metallic tungsten production will expand from 58 tonnes to 1,860 tonnes.
These projects are set to reshape the country’s economic landscape. Investment in the tungsten sector will reach $103.9 million, annual production value will climb from $5.5 million to nearly $280 million, and export volumes will soar from $2.4 million to $181.5 million. More than 5,000 new jobs are expected to be created.
With these advances, Uzbekistan’s global tungsten reserves share is projected to rise from 2% to 5.1% by 2030, while its share of global tungsten extraction will jump from 0.05% to 14.8%.
As the world seeks reliable and sustainable sources of critical minerals, Uzbekistan is positioning itself as a transparent, technologically advanced, and trustworthy partner. Through TMK’s fully integrated value-chain model, the country aims to secure a prominent role on the global industrial map and support the future of high-tech and green industries worldwide.
