At the International Forum on Mining and Metallurgy in Tashkent, representatives from Europe and Central Asian countries discussed investment in the extraction and processing of critical minerals. Countries in the region are seeking foreign investment and technology to develop their own capacities.
Statements on investment partnerships at the forum
“Brussels is not just seeking deals. It seeks to develop clear investment partnerships with countries such as Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in the broadest sense,” said Marat Terterov, founder of the Brussels Energy Club. He emphasised the need for cooperation between investors and local projects.
Terterov also pointed to the need to invest in mineral processing, industrial supply chains and transport infrastructure, in particular the Middle Corridor, which connects Central Asia with European markets.
Roadmap between Germany and Kazakhstan
In the joint declaration published on 29 September, Germany and Kazakhstan approved a roadmap for 20262028. The document covers industrial cooperation, mining and processing of minerals, and increasing the production of higher value-added goods in Kazakhstan.
“Germany needs a lot of critical minerals because we invest in renewable energy, we invest in electric vehicles, we invest in high technology,” said Matthias Wollert, the German ambassador to Uzbekistan.
Lithium mining project in eastern Kazakhstan
German company HMS Bergbau AG is developing a lithium extraction and processing project in eastern Kazakhstan. Potential investments could reach 500 million US dollars (approximately 449 million euros) subject to confirmation of commercially viable reserves.
The project is currently at the exploration and development stage. The European Union (EU) identifies materials such as lithium and tungsten as critical because of their economic importance and supply risks.
