At a Government session chaired by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, measures to develop the mining and metallurgical complex were considered in accordance with the instructions of the Head of State.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister noted that the Head of State pays special attention to the development of the mining industry. Today, Kazakhstan's mining industry has high export potential. Metals such as copper, zinc, iron, and aluminum remain in demand and have a high demand on the global market, while the importance of rare and critical elements is growing.

"In this regard, in order to diversify the domestic economy, the focus is on the development of the manufacturing industry. Today, the share of the manufacturing industry in the country’s GDP is about 14% and exceeds the extractive industry by 2% (12.2%). We must continue to maintain this trend," the Prime Minister emphasized.

Among the measures being taken is the attraction of investments in high-value-added projects. Thus, this year a steel pipe plant based on the products of the company "Qarmet" will be launched in the city of Saran.

Conditions are also being created for the organization of a belt of small and medium-sized businesses around large subsoil users. More than 220 thousand people work in the mining and metallurgical complex of the country. A significant number of Kazakhstani citizens are employed in related industries – SMEs oriented toward the end consumer. Olzhas Bektenov noted that additional incentives are needed to develop such productions.

Digitalization of the industry continues through the introduction of Industry 4.0 tools, automation, big data, and artificial intelligence.

The measures being taken allow the mining complex to adapt more quickly to changes in the market and to reach a new level of efficiency, transparency, and sustainability.

One of the Government’s priorities is to expand the resource base.

"To increase the volume of geological exploration, we will significantly increase funding starting this year. We have already decided to allocate funds from signature bonuses received from auctions for granting subsoil use rights for these purposes. This year it will amount to at least 30 billion tenge. The volume of these funds will be increased. Necessary calculations are currently being carried out," Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.

Particular attention is paid to occupational safety issues for metallurgists and miners.

In this regard, the Ministries of Industry, Ecology, Emergency Situations, together with major mining and metallurgical enterprises, are instructed to ensure the modernization of existing productions, the introduction of new technologies, and the improvement of occupational safety levels.

Following the Government meeting, the Prime Minister instructed:

• The Ministry of Industry, together with major mining enterprises, to develop a set of measures for the production of higher-value-added products, taking into account activities to stimulate the creation of an SME belt around system-forming enterprises.

• The Ministry of Industry, together with the Samruk-Kazyna Fund, to ensure the development of extraction and production of technologically innovative products based on critical and rare metals. The projects should be aimed at creating products with high added value. This will make it possible to build competence and create potential for the growth of technologically complex productions. Measures should also be developed for the secondary processing of metals and production waste to create a circular economy.

• The Ministry of Science and Higher Education, together with the Ministry of Industry, to develop a program for training specialists in the industry within one month. Attention was also drawn to the need to more actively involve science in the development and implementation of new technologies in production.

#Olzhas Bektenov #Economy #Government session #Metallurgical Development

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