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The Prime Minister reviewed the activities of Balkhash's town-forming enterprises, the progress of modernizing the mining-metallurgical and copper-smelting complex, the implementation of new industrial facilities, and current results from geological exploration projects.
The Karaganda region maintains positive momentum in industrial development, with a strong focus on the manufacturing sector. From January to August 2026, industrial output reached 3.7 trillion tenge, representing a 4.7% increase compared to the same period last year. The region ranks second in Kazakhstan by manufacturing output.
At the Karatas copper ore deposit site operated by National Mining Company Tau-Ken Samruk JSC, the Head of Government was presented with the status of geological exploration work and the modern subsurface exploration technologies being applied.
Kazgeology JSC is conducting operations across seven regions of the country covering 55,000 km², including drilling as well as ground and airborne geophysical surveys. Detailed high-precision mapping at a 1:50,000 scale has commenced on 20 key sites with a total area of 100,000 km².
In accordance with instructions issued at a Government meeting, a new approach to geological exploration projects has been established. Under this framework, Tau-Ken Samruk secures licenses, conducts exploration, registers confirmed reserves on the state balance sheet, and subsequently attracts foreign partners at a higher stage of project readiness. This mechanism enhances project value and secures more favorable terms for the state.
Nariman Absametov, Chairman of the Management Board of Tau-Ken Samruk, reported that over the past year, the company secured three licenses and initiated geological exploration for gold, copper, and rare earth metal deposits. Confirmed reserves already exceed 8 tons of gold and 150,000 tons of copper. Specifically, under the Karatas project, the average copper content increased from 0.35% to 0.46%. Bulk technological sampling is currently underway, followed by hydrogeological and geotechnical studies.
The initial results of geological core analysis using AI were also presented, demonstrating increased operational productivity and reduced documentation timelines. The system is currently trained on the Zhosabay deposit, achieving an accuracy rate of 80%, with plans to raise this to 95% by the end of this year.
Following the visit, the Prime Minister emphasized a significant expansion of support measures for the geological sector: state funding alone has been increased tenfold, totaling approximately $500 million over the next three years. State agencies and organizations were instructed to focus on the most promising areas with high potential for growing reserves of critical minerals, ensure the digitalization of geological data, intensify efforts to attract investors, and promptly resolve emerging land, infrastructure, and organizational issues. The Head of Government instructed Tau-Ken Samruk JSC to scale the experience of the Karatas project to the Zhosabay project and other prospective sites, ensuring a timely transition from exploration to registering reserves on the state balance sheet and subsequent commercial development.