Kazakhstan Identifies 38 New Sites with Mineral Potential

A total of 38 sites with high potential for solid mineral and hydrocarbon extraction have been discovered across Kazakhstan, Orda.kz reports.

The findings are part of a national effort to conduct comprehensive geological exploration of the country’s territory, which authorities plan to complete by 2026.

Almost 90% of Kazakhstan’s 2.2 million square kilometers has been surveyed.

22.8 billion tenge were allocated for the work. Based on the results of the work carried out in 2024, 38 sites with high potential for the extraction of solid minerals and hydrocarbons were discovered. The total area of the mapped territory was 104.4 thousand square kilometers. The work continues, the data is used to update geological maps and plan new projects,
 states the Cabinet of Ministers’ report on last year’s results.

Private sector involvement has also been growing. Since 2019, private investors have spent 424 billion tenge on geological exploration, including 99 billion in 2024 alone.

Over the past few years, 306 subsoil exploration licenses have been issued.

One of the most promising developments is a newly discovered rare-earth metals deposit in the Qaraganda region. Located in the Kuirektykol area, the Jana Kazakhstan cluster is believed to contain up to 20 million tons of reserves.

The concentration of elements reaches 0.25%, a figure considered high by international standards. Experts suggest this find could position Kazakhstan among global leaders in strategic mineral resources.

Original Author: Artyom Volkov