At a meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on April 8th, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Industry and Construction Kanat Sharlapayev reported on plans regarding geological prospecting and the use of subsoil.
According to the minister, Kazakhstan is poised to auction rights for subsoil use at 100 solid minerals deposits. Sharlapayev also highlighted a 2.5-fold growth in private investment in geological exploration of solid minerals. With the introduction of the digital platform “E-Qazyna.kz,” auctions are now conducted electronically, resulting in a significant increase in transparency and accessibility.
In a statement, the minister stressed, “Participation in the auctions by major global companies, including Rio Tinto and Fortescue, indicates increasing competition for the opportunity to explore potentially resource-rich, but as yet undeveloped fields in Kazakhstan.”
Major international companies including Arras Minerals, Rio Tinto, IG Kazakhstan, Fortescue, East Star Resources, Pallas Resources, Sarytogan Graphite, and Esan Eczacibasi have now invested at least 41 billion tenge on the excavation of areas amounting to 25 thousand square kilometres.
