Critical Minerals - The Times Of Central Asia

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AMM 2026

U.S. Moves from Dialogue to Action on Critical Minerals in Kazakhstan

ASTANA — David L. Fogel, Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service, told delegates at the 16th International Astana Mining & Metallurgy (AMM) Congress in Astana on June 11-12 that the United States is moving from discussion to strategic execution in Central Asia’s critical minerals sector. Fogel’s responsibilities at Commerce include leading the International Trade Administration’s Global Markets unit, which focuses on commercial diplomacy, export promotion, advocacy for U.S. companies, and foreign investment. Speaking in Astana, where the AMM Congress gathered top-level mining, metallurgy, technology, finance, and government leaders, Fogel said the United States had brought a historically large delegation to Kazakhstan, including more than 20 U.S. companies and representatives from across the U.S. government. The AMM Congress is one of the region’s major mining and metallurgy platforms. Fogel framed the visit as part of a broader U.S. strategic push to strengthen supply-chain resilience at a time of heightened global competition over minerals essential to energy, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies. Critical minerals, he said, are now among the top priorities for the United States, not only in terms of sourcing, but also processing. That emphasis is consistent with the Trump administration’s wider policy focus on processed critical minerals and derivative products as issues tied to economic security, national security, and America’s industrial base. Fogel placed the visit within the Trump administration’s broader effort to give Central Asia greater strategic attention, particularly as critical minerals, connectivity, and supply-chain resilience move higher on Washington’s agenda. He said the current push reflects sustained engagement from senior U.S. officials, including Ambassador Sergio Gor, U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs, and is being carried forward in country by the U.S. team in Kazakhstan under U.S. Ambassador Julie Stufft. Fogel emphasized execution, saying talks related to the C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue the day before focused on turning a shared vision for cooperation into practical outcomes. “How do we take this vision of cooperation and put it into actionable projects?” he asked. According to Fogel, the objective is to turn plans into tangible ventures that can attract capital, technology, and long-term business participation. Fogel’s point was that the United States is looking for projects that strengthen critical minerals supply chains while building strategic relationships, rather than organizing endless rounds of declarations that lead nowhere. He presented the process as a disciplined commercial and strategic effort of identifying the right opportunities, minimizing risk for companies weighing where to direct their resources, applying consistent international standards, and creating conditions in which American companies can compete. [caption id="attachment_50309" align="aligncenter" width="1774"] Image: TCA[/caption] The practical implication of Fogel’s remarks was that enthusiasm for mineral resources alone is not enough to draw major long-term investment. Companies need reliable mapping, credible surveys, and consistent international standards that allow projects to be assessed and financed. In that sense, geological data and standards are not technical details, but the bridge between mineral potential and bankable projects backed up by solid in-country partners....

AMM 2026

Kazakhstan Stakes Claim as Critical Minerals Processing Hub at AMM 2026

ASTANA — Kazakhstan used the opening of the Astana Mining & Metallurgy Congress 2026 to place its mining and metals sector at the center of a new industrial strategy built around critical minerals, processing, technology, and long-term foreign investment. Addressing more than 1,500 participants from 16 countries, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said Kazakhstan’s economy grew by 6.5% in 2025, while gross domestic product exceeded $300 billion for the first time. He tied that performance to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s course toward a modern economy based on technology, investment, industrial development, and human capital. For international investors, the speech presented Kazakhstan as a resource economy entering its next stage, not as a new market waiting to be discovered. Bektenov emphasized that major projects in subsoil use, metallurgy, and downstream processing require large capital commitments, long investment cycles, strong institutions, predictable regulation, and business confidence. “The world is entering a new industrial era in which the development of energy systems, digital economy, AI, electric vehicles, microelectronics, and aerospace industry depends directly on reliable access to metals and mineral resources,” Bektenov said. He described critical minerals as “the defining resources of the new industrial era,” placing Kazakhstan’s mineral base within the wider competition for inputs used in batteries, semiconductors, energy systems, electric vehicles, microelectronics, aerospace, AI, and the digital economy. Bektenov said Kazakhstan possesses substantial mineral resource potential and ranks among global leaders in reserves of a wide range of minerals. Products from the country’s mining and metals sector, he said, are already in demand across major world markets. He argued that Kazakhstan is not starting from scratch. It has resources, operating mines, metallurgical capacity, export experience, and a government policy aimed at moving more of the value chain inside the country. The most commercially significant announcement concerned exploration. Bektenov said Kazakhstan is implementing a large-scale geological exploration program, with detailed geological mapping expected to exceed two million square kilometers. At Tokayev’s instruction, the state alone plans to invest approximately $470 million in geological exploration between 2026 and 2028, an amount Bektenov described as comparable to total public spending on exploration over the previous two decades. That spending is designed to strengthen the project pipeline and reduce early-stage uncertainty for investors. For mining companies, drilling firms, geological service providers, laboratory operators, equipment suppliers, and data companies, the expansion of geological coverage could create new entry points into Kazakhstan’s mineral sector. Bektenov also pointed to digitalization as part of the government’s effort to modernize the sector. Kazakhstan has established a Unified Subsoil Use Platform that provides 22 public services, supports the issuance of licenses, and monitors the obligations of subsoil users. More than 4.6 million units of primary geological data have been digitized, including materials previously stored on paper, magnetic tapes, and photographic records. The next step, he said, is the integration of artificial intelligence into geological exploration, data analysis, and production management. Bektenov framed this as a shift in the operating model of Kazakhstan’s mining industry, rather than a simple increase in extraction volumes....

AMM 2026

Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia Sign Mining Cooperation MOU at AMM Congress

ASTANA — Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on cooperation in rare earth metals, critical minerals, and the broader mining space at the opening of the Astana Mining & Metallurgy Congress 2026 (AMM) on June 11, marking a significant new step in the two countries’ efforts to expand industrial and critical minerals ties. The MOU was signed by Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, who arrived in Astana to attend the AMM. The document aims to develop and strengthen cooperation between the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia and the Ministry of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of mineral resources through the exchange of expertise in the mining industry, modern technologies used in mineral resource exploration, and raw materials evaluation. The agreement also covers cooperation across the mining value chain, but with a focus on rare earths and other mineral resources. Both sides are seeking to strengthen collaboration in extraction, processing, and higher value-added production. The signing comes as Kazakhstan is working to attract more investment into critical minerals and downstream processing, while Saudi Arabia is expanding its role in global mining and mineral supply chains as part of its wider economic diversification strategy. Bektenov and Al-Khorayef also held talks in Astana ahead of the congress. According to the Kazakh government, the discussions focused on further cooperation in the mining and metallurgical sectors and in concretizing prospects for joint projects in high-demand and scarce minerals. The sides also discussed investment and trade opportunities as well as geologic mapping and processing, leading to higher value-added production. The signing of the MOU at AMM, considered one of Central Asia’s main mining and metallurgy forums, had a diplomatic dimension at a time when rare earths and critical minerals are moving higher on the agendas of governments and investors. The congress brings together government officials, mining companies, investors, equipment suppliers, and industry experts. For Kazakhstan, the MOU fits into a broader effort to position the country not only as a source of mineral resources, but also as a platform for processing and higher-value production. Astana has been promoting geological exploration, investment in processing capacity, and strategic partnerships with foreign governments and companies. As Kazakhstan seeks to bring more of the value chain onshore, it is building on examples such as titanium production at Ust-Kamenogorsk Titanium and Magnesium and zinc processing at Kazzinc’s integrated facilities. For Saudi Arabia, the agreement reflects Riyadh’s growing interest in international mining partnerships. The Kingdom has been seeking to develop its domestic mineral sector while securing access to strategic raw materials needed for industrial development, clean energy technologies, and advanced manufacturing. At its AMM booth in Astana, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources highlighted its upcoming Future Minerals Forum, set for January 2027 in Riyadh; it is one of the world's leading mining events. Kazakhstan and the other Central Asian countries will be...

C5+1

U.S. Convenes Critical Minerals Dialogue with Central Asian Officials in Kazakhstan

ASTANA — The United States opened a new round of high-level critical minerals talks with Central Asian governments in Astana on June 10, with U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs Sergio Gor saying Washington is placing new emphasis on a region it sees as central to global commerce, connectivity, and secure supply chains. Speaking at the C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue, Gor said Central Asia “has not gotten the attention it deserves from the United States,” and that the Trump administration had decided to change that. “We care about this region, we want to be involved with this region, we want to identify win-win situations for the United States and your nations,” Gor said. The meeting, held at The Ritz-Carlton in Astana, brought together officials from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the United States. The program included sessions on geological exploration, surveying and mapping, mining and processing, and global value and supply chains, followed by a government-business networking reception. Gor thanked Kazakhstan for hosting what he described as the first in-person C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue and said he had met with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev shortly before the session. Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said that ahead of the dialogue, Gor and Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev had discussed economic and investment partnerships, innovation, artificial intelligence, education, transport, logistics, and critical minerals. The ministry also said the sides discussed the implementation of agreements reached between Tokayev and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in November 2025. Gor framed the Astana meeting as part of a broader increase in U.S. engagement with Central Asia following the C5+1 leaders’ meeting in Washington last year. He said critical minerals are now a central part of that engagement because they are essential to infrastructure, advanced technologies, industry, and national defense. “Our economic security depends on our ability to diversify our access to critical minerals,” Gor said. “Ensuring reliable access to these materials requires not only expanding production, but also building resilient, transparent, and market-driven supply chains in close partnership with trusted partners.” He added that the Central Asian states represented at the table were exactly the partners Washington wants to work with. “There’s a reason we’re sitting at this table and not at another table around the world,” Gor said. “It’s because this is where we want to work. This is where we have identified trusted partners.” Gor highlighted the role of U.S. commercial and development-finance tools in supporting investment, saying Washington is prepared to back American companies working in the region. “The United States government stands behind American companies,” Gor said. “There is no such thing as a deal too small.” Gor also pointed to the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, saying it was preparing to “invest and build” in the region and saw potential in critical minerals, telecommunications, and Trans-Caspian infrastructure. He said DFC saw “potential to transform the region’s rich deposits of critical minerals into the foundation of a new wave of industrialization.” “President Trump understands the importance of...

Mining

Uzbekistan Plans $30 Billion Mining Investment Drive Backed by AI and Digital Geology

Uzbekistan is planning a major digital transformation of its mining and geology sector, with artificial intelligence set to play a central role in mineral exploration, resource management, and industrial production. According to the presidential press service, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation on June 9 on plans to expand the use of digital technologies and AI across the industry, one of the country’s key economic sectors. Officials said mining and geology enterprises accounted for 20% of Uzbekistan’s industrial output in 2025 and generated 118.5 trillion soums in budget revenues. The government sees technological modernization as a priority for improving efficiency, attracting investment, and expanding the country’s long-term resource base. The presentation pointed to progress already made in digitalization. Major mining enterprises cut operating expenses by 7.3 trillion soums in 2025, while production costs fell by 9.1%. Authorities have also launched the Geomonitoring information system and digitized data on more than 2,000 mineral deposits. Over the next five years, Uzbekistan aims to increase its proven reserves by 879 tons of gold, 510 tons of silver, and 676,000 tons of copper. Officials said AI technologies will be introduced throughout the geological exploration process to speed up the analysis of geological data, improve reserve assessments, forecast promising mineral deposits, and make drilling more efficient. Mirziyoyev instructed officials to take the sector’s technological transformation to a new stage by creating systems capable of managing and analyzing production processes with AI. The industry generates large volumes of information, from geological surveys and drilling results to maps, laboratory analyses, and production data. Integrating these resources into a unified electronic database and applying 3D modeling tools could improve exploration outcomes. According to the presentation, the proposed measures could reduce production costs by 10%, cut the time needed to identify new deposits by half, and increase the number of investment proposals several times over. A key element of the strategy is the creation of a National Geological Database. Authorities plan to digitize more than 36,000 geological reports and primary data records and establish a Center for Technological Transformation. Officials estimate that this will double the speed and quality of geological data processing and accelerate reserve estimation and deposit modeling. The presentation also outlined plans to attract $30 billion in investment to the geology and mining sector by 2030. To support that target, the government plans to implement 32 digital and AI-focused projects from 2026 to 2030 at six major enterprises: Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company, Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex, Navoiyuran, Uzmetkombinat, Uzbekcoal, and the Uzbekistan Technological Metals Complex. The projects will cover production automation, corporate governance, AI, labor and industrial safety, and geological exploration. Officials said the measures could increase operational efficiency by 7%, improve the reliability of machinery and equipment by 20%, raise energy efficiency by 8%, and reduce human-factor-related errors and risks by 15%. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Uzbekistan and the United States signed agreements earlier this year aimed at securing supply chains for critical minerals and rare earth elements,...

C5+1

From Culture to Critical Minerals: C5+1 Opens Busy U.S. Week in Central Asia

The United States and Central Asia moved another part of the C5+1 agenda into a working-level form on June 5, when culture officials from the five Central Asian states and Washington met in Tashkent. The meeting came just days before a separate C5+1 critical minerals session in Astana, giving the week a wider agenda: cultural heritage, public diplomacy, mining, investment, and supply chains are now moving forward in the same regional format. The Tashkent meeting brought together Uzbekistan's Minister of Culture Ozodbek Nazarbekov, Kazakhstan's Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva, Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Culture, Information and Youth Policy Mirbek Mambetaliev, Tajikistan's Minister of Culture Matluba Sattoriyon, Turkmenistan's Deputy Minister of Culture Gurbanmurad Miradaliev, and Sarah Rogers, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. The agenda covered cultural and humanitarian cooperation, joint cultural projects, creative exchanges, and the protection and promotion of cultural heritage. Participants discussed a permanent C5+1 Working Group on Culture, a C5+1 Culture and Innovation Forum, closer cooperation in the creative industries, and more places for Central Asian cultural professionals in U.S. education and exchange programs. Uzbekistan also proposed joint English for Culture centers with U.S. partners at cultural education institutions. In practical terms, that could mean joint training for museum staff, touring exhibitions, film and music exchanges, English-language programs for curators and cultural managers, and U.S.-backed workshops for people working in heritage, tourism, and the creative industries. For Uzbekistan, the proposed centers would give the agenda a physical base inside cultural education institutions rather than leaving it at the level of declarations. The meeting ended with a protocol, which reaffirmed the parties' commitment to the cultural heritage agenda adopted after the Washington summit in November 2025. The International Institute for Central Asia said it covered cooperation through joint events and festivals in art, literature, theater, cinema, and music. Kazakhstan's side also tied the discussion to museum partnerships, digitization of heritage, professional exchanges, tourism routes, and digital projects. The Tashkent talks grew out of the C5+1 leaders’ meeting in Washington, where culture joined a wider list of priorities. That summit marked ten years of U.S. engagement with the region through the format, which began in 2015 and has since expanded from foreign-minister meetings to expert groups and presidential-level summits. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that the November 2025 summit shifted the format from broad diplomacy toward deliverable agreements, with critical minerals, aviation, supply chains, and business ties among the main areas of focus. Culture fits into that agenda, as Central Asian governments see heritage, tourism, film, music, museums, and the creative industries as economic sectors as well as identity markers. For the United States, public diplomacy gives Washington a way to stay active in the region outside security and energy talks. It also gives the C5+1 a soft-power layer, using language programs, museum links, heritage projects, and creative exchanges to build influence without framing the relationship only around security or resources. Heritage protection has a security side as well. Trafficking...