Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of Kyrgyzstan Meder Mashiev is participating in the 2nd International Mining and Metallurgy Forum taking place in the Republic of Tajikistan.
He emphasized that the mining industry remains one of the key drivers of Kyrgyzstan’s economic development: the sector accounts for 12.6 percent of GDP, 64.5 percent of industrial output, and 38 percent of exports.
As part of the sector’s development strategy, Kyrgyzstan has identified 21 critical minerals, 4 priority projects, 9 promising deposits and 16 areas for further exploration. Among the most significant sites are Kutessay-II and Kalesay rare earth deposits, as well as prospective antimony and fluorite areas, including Northern Aktash.
Mashiev noted that critical minerals today form the foundation of green energy, digitalization, microelectronics, aerospace, and defense technologies. Kyrgyzstan has substantial potential in this field: rare earth elements, copper, antimony, tungsten, aluminum, and other strategic metals could play an important role in sustainable global supply chains.
He also said that the country possesses industrially significant deposits Sandyk and Zardalek, with combined reserves exceeding 400 million tons of aluminum ore. This creates unique opportunities to deepen cooperation with Tajikistan’s mining and metallurgy sector.
Meder Mashiev proposed considering the creation of a unified cross-border production chain — from mining aluminum ore in Kyrgyzstan to producing finished goods in Tajikistan.
«Such projects would serve as an example of effective regional industrial integration, ensure supply chain resilience, and elevate technological cooperation between the two countries to a new level,» he added.
