Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom have signed a roadmap regarding critical minerals
Kazakhstan's Vice Minister of Industry and Construction, Iran Sharkhan, and the United Kingdom's Minister of Industry and Economic Security, Nusrat Ghani, signed a strategic cooperation roadmap on critical minerals during the Mineral Processing and Circular Economy business forum in London, as reported by the ministry's press service.
The roadmap marks a tangible progression from the memorandum of understanding on critical minerals partnership signed during British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly's visit to Astana in March 2023.
Critical minerals, vital for national security and economic prosperity due to their use in modern technology, form the basis of this collaboration. Kazakhstan's Vice Minister of Industry and Construction, Iran Sharkhan, highlighted three primary areas of focus within the roadmap: general cooperation in geology, personnel training, and technology transfer.
Kazakhstan, which has production capabilities for eight of the 18 identified critical minerals and reserves for ten others, aims to attract UK investment in geological exploration and technology. Additionally, foreign investors receiving development rights in Kazakhstan must commit to processing raw materials locally and establishing new production facilities, with export thresholds aligned with processing stages.
