Rare earth metals have not yet been mined in Kazakhstan, but promising areas have been identified. This was stated by the Ministry of Industry and Construction in response to an inquiry from Informburo.kz, according to the “Adyrna” national portal.
According to the ministry, rare earth metals include yttrium, lanthanum, and 13 elements from the lanthanoid group (cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium). In Kazakhstan, these metals are found alongside other solid mineral resources and can be extracted as by-products.
Experts have studied the subsoil in the eastern and central regions of the country and identified 20 locations with deposits of beryllium, yttrium, niobium, tungsten, gallium, cesium, and other rare metals.
“The Kuirektikol site has been positively evaluated in terms of raw material sufficiency, and these sites will be granted to subsoil users for further exploration under an exploration license,” the ministry stated.
The state budget continues to fund research and evaluation of the Central Kalba area, with work expected to be completed by 2026.
It is worth noting that former U.S. President Donald Trump held negotiations on accessing mineral resources in Ukraine, including rare earth elements. He also expressed interest in making agreements to access Russia’s rare metals, as they are essential for the production of high-tech equipment.
