MINEX Forum

Website: Eurasia.com

  • Tokayev Offers EU Access to Kazakhstan’s Rare Earths in Exchange for Investment and Technology at Brussels Round Table

    Tokayev Offers EU Access to Kazakhstan’s Rare Earths in Exchange for Investment and Technology at Brussels Round Table

    President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has proposed a new model of cooperation with the European Union in the mining and metallurgical sector, offering access to Kazakhstan’s rare and rare earth metals in exchange for European investment and technology transfer, at the Kazakhstan–EU Round Table in Brussels.

    Tokayev highlighted that Kazakhstan’s subsoil users are already capable of supplying 21 of the 34 minerals on the European Union’s critical raw materials list, while significant untapped reserves of lithium, nickel, vanadium and cobalt remain undeveloped. He said the most effective mechanism for unlocking this resource potential would be offtake-based cooperation — arrangements under which buyers guarantee the purchase of a defined volume of future production — as this model would stimulate the development of rare metal ore processing and the production of higher value-added products.

    Kazakhstan also renewed its proposal to establish a Regional Research Centre on Rare Earth Metals in Astana. The centre would provide prospective investors with current information about available deposits across Central Asia and the technologies available for their development.

    The round table underscored Kazakhstan’s role as one of the EU’s key energy partners, with Kazakhstani crude oil’s share of the EU market growing to 13% in 2025. The event concluded with the signing of new commercial agreements with a combined value of nearly $1 billion.

  • China Deepens Central Asia Engagement Across Nuclear, Mining and Trade as Kazakhstan Approves Civil Nuclear Cooperation Protocol

    China Deepens Central Asia Engagement Across Nuclear, Mining and Trade as Kazakhstan Approves Civil Nuclear Cooperation Protocol

    China’s National Energy Administration chief Wang Hongzhi visited Kazakhstan to attend the inaugural meeting of the Kazakhstan-China Joint Working Group on Cooperation in Civil Nuclear Energy, with participants approving a protocol defining the framework for future nuclear cooperation. The development follows Kazakhstan’s selection of China’s National Nuclear Corporation to build two large-scale reactors, while Russia’s Rosatom has separately been contracted to build Kazakhstan’s first nuclear plant on the shores of Lake Balkhash.

    The nuclear meeting was one of several significant developments across the region reflecting China’s intensifying economic and institutional engagement with Central Asia.

    In Kazakhstan, Chinese electrical appliance manufacturer Midea Group opened a representative office in Almaty, establishing a local operations team, warehouse complex and logistics hub to serve Central Asian markets directly rather than through third-party distributors. The China-Kazakhstan Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum in Astana saw the launch of the Jiangsu Province Center for Central Asia — a unified service hub for Chinese companies — alongside agreements to increase Kazakhstani wheat, meat and honey exports to Jiangsu Province.

    In Kyrgyzstan, China’s Nerin Engineering was selected as chief contractor for development of the Togolok gold deposit, including construction of a processing plant and tailings facility, under the Kumtor Gold Company. The Kyrgyz National Investment Fund and Shenzhen Wuyou Technology also signed agreements to introduce electric scooters and charging infrastructure.

    In Uzbekistan, Chinese company Zhongjin Guantai Industrial Development expressed intent to invest $2 billion in the mining sector, $1 billion in energy projects and $300 to $500 million in infrastructure and tourism. Uzbekistan’s state uranium producer Navoiyuran and China’s State Nuclear Uranium Resources Development agreed to establish a joint working group covering geological exploration and unconventional uranium deposit development. Uzeltekhsanoat Association and China’s Electronics Enterprises Association signed a memorandum on home appliance component production and Physical AI technologies, while separate Chinese agreements covered sustainable forestry, water-saving irrigation and agricultural investment.

    In Tajikistan, Dangara State University signed an agreement to establish a Confucius Institute on campus. In Turkmenistan, China’s ambassador held discussions with parliamentarians about organising Chinese-led legislative seminars for MPs from across Central Asia.

  • Kazakhstan Signs KU Leuven and Ghent University Research Partnerships During Tokayev’s Belgium Visit, Advancing Horizon Europe Integration Push

    Kazakhstan Signs KU Leuven and Ghent University Research Partnerships During Tokayev’s Belgium Visit, Advancing Horizon Europe Integration Push

    Kazakhstan has signed a package of strategic agreements with leading Belgian universities and European innovation bodies during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s official visit to Belgium, establishing new research partnerships in critical materials, sustainable metallurgy, artificial intelligence and computational engineering.

    The most significant agreement brings together D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University, KU Leuven and the SIM² KU Leuven Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals, along with Astana Hub. The partnership will enable Kazakhstani students, researchers and PhD candidates to collaborate with European scientists on critical materials science, sustainable metallurgy, industrial digitalisation and AI applications in manufacturing — a combination directly relevant to Kazakhstan’s strategic goal of developing value-added industries around its substantial critical raw material reserves rather than remaining a raw material exporter.

    A separate agreement with Ghent University will establish a mirror research laboratory in Kazakhstan focused on mathematics, artificial intelligence, mathematical modelling and computational engineering. Based at the Alem.ai Foundation in Astana, the laboratory will support joint research, academic exchanges, scientific publications and international collaboration.

    Meetings with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation and the European Innovation Council also covered Kazakhstan’s further integration into Horizon Europe — the EU’s €93.5 billion flagship research and innovation programme — advancing the case that Science Minister Sayasat Nurbek has been making publicly for Kazakhstan to be treated as a research partner rather than simply a mineral supplier.

    The agreements mark a concrete step in Kazakhstan’s broader effort to position itself as a trusted international partner in research, innovation and artificial intelligence, building institutional connections with European science alongside the diplomatic and commercial relationships being advanced through critical minerals dialogues.

  • Anglo Asian Mining Launches 90,000-Metre Drilling Programme Across Azerbaijan’s Kharxar, Garadagh and Gadabay Deposits

    Anglo Asian Mining Launches 90,000-Metre Drilling Programme Across Azerbaijan’s Kharxar, Garadagh and Gadabay Deposits

    Anglo Asian Mining has announced an expanded 90,000-metre drilling programme across several of its Azerbaijan deposits over 2026 and 2027, as the company works to increase resource estimates and advance key projects toward feasibility and mine development.

    The programme comprises approximately 55,000 metres of exploration drilling and 35,000 metres of feasibility drilling. Drilling operations using two rigs have already commenced at the Kharxar deposit, with work at Garadagh scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026. Additional drilling is planned within the Gadabay contract area and at the Demirli mine and South Demirli deposit. Underground drilling has also started at the Gilar deposit, focusing on upper mineralised horizons and potential extensions of ore bodies at depth.

    The feasibility component allocates approximately 10,000 metres at Kharxar and 25,000 metres at Garadagh for geological confirmation, geotechnical analysis, hydrogeological studies, metallurgical testing and quality control — work that will feed directly into updated resource assessments and future mine development plans.

    Kharxar, located approximately 1.5 kilometres north of the Gadabay contract area, has been the subject of extensive exploration in recent years. A JORC-compliant resource estimate has confirmed 119,100 tonnes of contained copper at the site. Garadagh, adjacent to Kharxar, has emerged as the company’s most significant copper asset, with a preliminary JORC-compliant resource estimate published in 2024 confirming approximately 900,000 tonnes of contained copper — a figure that positions it as potentially one of the most important copper developments in Azerbaijan’s mining sector.

  • EU Commissioner Visits Brazil’s Viridis Rare Earth Plant as Brussels Positions Value-Added Processing Partnership as Alternative to Chinese Model

    EU Commissioner Visits Brazil’s Viridis Rare Earth Plant as Brussels Positions Value-Added Processing Partnership as Alternative to Chinese Model

    European Union Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Sikela has visited Viridis Mining and Minerals’ rare earth research and processing centre in Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais, underscoring Brussels’ push to turn Brazil into a strategic partner for critical mineral supply diversification — with an approach explicitly built around helping Brazil capture processing value rather than simply extracting raw materials.

    Sikela said the EU’s offer to Brazil differentiates itself from competing models by emphasising local value creation, sustainable production standards, job creation, technology transfer and education. “What is extremely important is that Brazil moves from a low-margin business — basically that the value is created here in the country,” he said during the visit. He described Brazil as currently the EU’s most strategic partner in Latin America and argued the partnership would allow Europe to secure supplies through purchase agreements while helping Brazil build refining capacity and move up the supply chain into higher-margin production.

    Viridis inaugurated its pilot mining project in Minas Gerais in May. The facility can process 100 kilograms of ore per hour and produce up to 2.92 kilograms of mixed rare earth carbonate annually. The company plans to invest $360 million in a commercial plant targeting 15,000 tonnes of mixed rare earth carbonate per year from 2028, across 228.62 square kilometres of licences in Minas Gerais. Viridis CEO Rafael Moreno told Reuters that talks with the EU are at an advanced stage, with a non-binding letter of intent signed this month between Viridis and Belgian chemicals company Solvay for MREC supply — a deal that could be finalised by the end of July and potentially evolve into a broader partnership including technology and processing support.

    Sikela acknowledged the EU is entering a competitive race for Brazilian mineral assets but argued the European value proposition is more beneficial than alternatives. “Our value proposition is more beneficial than what these others want,” he said, citing sustainability, job creation and knowledge transfer aligned with the highest environmental, social and technical standards.

    The commissioner indicated the EU is also considering projects involving nickel and lithium in Brazil as priorities, and plans to advance a memorandum of understanding with the Brazilian government, though details remain under negotiation. Viridis is currently in advanced negotiations with potential buyers in both Europe and the United States, with Moreno having confirmed the company favours a multi-region approach aligned with supply chain diversification objectives rather than concentration in any single market.

  • UK Commits £50 Million to Critical Minerals Extraction, Processing and Recycling as Government Targets Supply Chain Resilience

    UK Commits £50 Million to Critical Minerals Extraction, Processing and Recycling as Government Targets Supply Chain Resilience

    The British government has announced £50 million in new funding to boost domestic critical minerals production across extraction, processing and recycling, as part of an accelerating effort to reduce dependence on concentrated global supply chains dominated by China.

    The funding is structured across three pillars: £20 million for a rare earth magnet hub, £25 million for an accelerator programme to help scale projects, and up to £5 million for a platform to aggregate industry demand and unlock private investment. Industry Minister Chris McDonald launched the programme during a visit to a northeast England industrial research hub where companies are developing technologies for metal recovery and processing.

    “Critical minerals are vital for our national security,” McDonald said. The announcement builds on more than £200 million already committed to the sector and is intended to secure materials used across a range of products from smartphones and electric vehicle batteries to domestic appliances.

    The initiative comes as China retains dominant positions across global critical mineral supply chains, accounting for approximately 70% of rare earth mining and 90% of refining. Britain has been seeking to develop domestic capabilities while simultaneously diversifying supply through partnerships with allies including the United States and South Korea, focused on supply chain collaboration, processing capacity and investment flows.

    Recent domestic progress includes the opening of Britain’s first commercial rare earth magnet plant in 25 years, operated by Mkango Resources’ HyProMag unit in Birmingham, which produces magnets for electric motors and other technologies using recycled materials — demonstrating the viability of circular economy approaches to critical mineral security.

  • Saudi Arabia Courts French and European Mining Partners at Paris Forum as Kingdom Targets $2.5 Trillion Mineral Resource Base

    Saudi Arabia Courts French and European Mining Partners at Paris Forum as Kingdom Targets $2.5 Trillion Mineral Resource Base

    Saudi Arabia has used the Gulf Vision 2026 Forum in Paris to showcase investment opportunities across its $2.5 trillion mineral resource base to French and European partners, as the Kingdom accelerates its push to establish mining as the third pillar of the national economy under Vision 2030.

    Khalid Al-Mudaifer, Saudi Arabia’s vice minister of industry and mineral resources for mining affairs, presented the Kingdom’s economic transformation agenda and held bilateral meetings with French officials and representatives of major French mining and industrial companies. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in mining investment, technology transfer and joint ventures, with particular emphasis on mineral exploration, sustainable mining practices and expanding domestic mineral value chains.

    Vision 2030 aims to unlock more than $2.5 trillion in mineral resources including gold, copper, zinc, phosphates, aluminium and rare earth elements, diversifying revenue sources while strengthening Saudi Arabia’s position in global supply chains. The pace of licensing is accelerating: the Kingdom issued 80 new mining licences in March 2026, more than double the 38 issued in February, reflecting the government’s intensified effort to open the sector to international investment.

    Al-Mudaifer highlighted Saudi Arabia’s commitment to providing a favourable investment environment backed by modern legislation and financial incentives. He also pointed to the National Industrial Development and Logistics Programme, which integrates industry, mining, energy and logistics under a unified national strategy, as a vehicle for expanding industrial capabilities, strengthening local value chains and improving the global competitiveness of Saudi products.

    The vice minister emphasised that Saudi ambitions extend beyond resource extraction toward integrated industrial value chains — a positioning consistent with the broader shift among mineral-rich nations seeking to capture processing and manufacturing value rather than exporting raw materials.

  • Uzbekistan Mining Ministry Meets Turkey’s ESAN Eczacıbaşı to Advance Investment and Strengthen Strategic Mining Partnership

    Uzbekistan Mining Ministry Meets Turkey’s ESAN Eczacıbaşı to Advance Investment and Strengthen Strategic Mining Partnership

    Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology has held talks with Turkish industrial minerals company ESAN Eczacıbaşı to review ongoing cooperation and identify new investment opportunities, as Tashkent continues its drive to attract foreign capital and modernise its mining sector through regulatory reform and expanded geological exploration.

    The meeting between Minister Bobir Islamov and ESAN Eczacıbaşı executives followed the fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum, where Uzbekistan showcased investment opportunities across mining, energy and infrastructure to international participants. The discussions covered Uzbekistan’s ongoing mining sector reforms, investor-friendly legislative measures introduced in recent years, and outcomes of the forum.

    The parties reviewed the status of projects currently being implemented in Uzbekistan with ESAN Eczacıbaşı, discussed future development plans, and explored opportunities to deepen their strategic partnership. Both sides reaffirmed interest in expanding cooperation and advancing joint initiatives.

    “Uzbekistan’s ongoing mining reforms, improved investment climate and the success of the 5th Tashkent International Investment Forum are creating new opportunities for international partnerships and long-term investment in the sector,” the ministry said.

    ESAN Eczacıbaşı is one of Turkey’s leading industrial minerals and mining companies, active in the extraction, processing and international trade of minerals used in ceramics, glass, chemicals and related industries. The company has been expanding its international footprint through mining investments and strategic partnerships in recent years.

  • AMM 2026 Elevates Kazakhstan’s Strategic Role in Critical Minerals as EU Dialogue and C5+1 Summit Drive Investment and Supply Chain Partnerships

    AMM 2026 Elevates Kazakhstan’s Strategic Role in Critical Minerals as EU Dialogue and C5+1 Summit Drive Investment and Supply Chain Partnerships

    A series of high-level diplomatic and business meetings held on the sidelines of the Astana Mining and Metallurgy Congress 2026 reinforced Kazakhstan’s positioning as a central node in global critical minerals supply chains, bringing together the European Union, the United States and Central Asian partners in consecutive days of structured dialogue.

    On 11 June, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov chaired the 19th Kazakhstan–European Union Dialogue Platform, attended by heads of European diplomatic missions, leading business associations and international companies. The meeting addressed the investment climate, trade and industrial cooperation, harmonisation of technical standards and collaboration in geological exploration and critical raw materials. Bektenov noted that the EU remains Kazakhstan’s largest trade and investment partner, accounting for more than 30% of the country’s foreign trade, with cumulative European investment exceeding $200 billion. Particular attention was paid to critical minerals cooperation and the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route as a strategic logistics corridor linking Central Asia to European markets.

    Said Sultanov, Managing Director of Xcalibur Smart Mapping Kazakhstan, presented initiatives covering modern geoscience technologies, geological infrastructure modernisation and high-precision airborne geophysical surveys aimed at unlocking Kazakhstan’s mineral potential.

    The day before, on 10 June, the C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue brought together the United States and all five Central Asian states. David Fogel, US Assistant Secretary of Commerce, highlighted Kazakhstan’s significant resource potential and its importance in building secure and diversified critical mineral supply chains — reaffirming that critical minerals remain a strategic priority for the Trump administration’s engagement with the region.

    Speaking on the sidelines, Said Sultanov of Aurora Minerals Group said Kazakhstan was attracting growing international interest from major mining investors across multiple geographies. “Russian, European, and Chinese companies are already actively involved in exploration projects across Kazakhstan. The arrival of US companies will further strengthen competitiveness in the sector and create new opportunities for investment, technology transfer, and industry development,” he said.

  • Kazakhstan Gold Forum Calls for Partial Export Liberalisation and Artisanal Mining Reform as Industry Awaits New Tax Code Impact

    Kazakhstan Gold Forum Calls for Partial Export Liberalisation and Artisanal Mining Reform as Industry Awaits New Tax Code Impact

    Kazakhstan’s gold mining sector is seeking partial liberalisation of refined gold exports, more predictable regulation and a simpler licensing environment for artisanal miners, according to discussions at the Kazakhstan Gold Mining Forum held on 12 June on the sidelines of the Astana Mining and Metallurgy Congress.

    The forum brought together parliamentarians, government officials, national companies and international guests to discuss investment conditions, regulatory reform and the accelerated development of gold deposits. Speaking in the margins, Kanat Baitov, executive director of the Republican Association of Precious Metals Producers, outlined the sector’s key priorities.

    On gold exports, the industry is proposing that companies be allowed to sell up to 50% of domestically produced refined gold on external markets, while maintaining the existing model under which the National Bank of Kazakhstan acts as the primary buyer for reserve formation. Kazakhstan currently mines approximately 130 tonnes of gold in ore annually and produces around 70 tonnes of refined gold, a significant proportion of which flows to the National Bank. The industry argues that access to international markets would reduce borrowing costs and provide additional foreign currency earnings. The National Bank participated in the forum discussions and work on a balanced solution is continuing. The issue is expected to intensify with the planned launch in 2028 of the Ertis hydrometallurgical plant in Pavlodar Region, which will process refractory Bakyrchik ore and significantly increase refined gold output.

    On taxation, the sector noted that mineral extraction tax rates on gold were raised substantially at the start of 2026 under the new Tax Code. Baitov said it was too early to draw firm conclusions but that the government would need to assess the impact as data accumulates and adjust if necessary. Rising electricity tariffs, while a cost burden, are currently being offset by high gold prices.

    A separate session addressed Kazakhstan’s artisanal gold mining sector, which was legalised under the 2018 Subsoil Code. Approximately 300 artisanal licences have been issued to date, but Baitov raised a striking concern: since legalisation in 2018, not a single gram of gold has been officially submitted to the state by artisanal miners. “If licences have been issued and work is being done, the question is: where is the gold?” he said. Minimum delivery thresholds at Tau-Ken Altyn have been reduced from kilogram quantities to 200 grams to improve accessibility, and the new Tax Code has simplified the compliance and reporting regime for artisanal miners, who can now operate as individual entrepreneurs. A Union of Artisanal Miners has been established with association support.

    The forum also featured a presentation by Kazakhmys on the potential of processing man-made mineral waste — Kazakhstan has accumulated more than 50 billion tonnes of such material, which at current gold prices is becoming economically viable to process. Several cooperation memoranda were signed at the forum, including agreements between Karaganda Technical University and Kazakhmys Corporation, and a digital financing solutions partnership between the Kunayev Mining Institute, Tau-Ken Samruk and SDA-System.