Non-ferrous metals in Kazakhstan: Current state and prospects

Kazakhstan is one of the world’s leading producers and exporters of non-ferrous metals such as copper, aluminum, zinc and lead. In 2023, the country holds key positions in global rankings for the extraction of these resources due to its rich raw material base and significant mineral reserves.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Construction of Kazakhstan, the country has large reserves of non-ferrous metals. In particular, copper reserves in Kazakhstan are estimated at 36 million tons, which allows the republic to maintain a high position in the global copper industry. The main copper deposits include Dzhezkazgan, Bozshakol and Aktogay.

Zinc reserves in Kazakhstan amount to more than 16 million tons, concentrated mainly in the deposits of East Kazakhstan, such as Ridder-Sokolnoye and Maleevskoye. The country also has significant reserves of lead — about 5 million tons.

Aluminum production in Kazakhstan is based on significant reserves of bauxite located in the Kostanay region. Kazakh aluminum is represented by the large enterprise “Aluminum of Kazakhstan”, which is part of the Eurasian Group (ERG).

Non-ferrous metals are one of the key exports of Kazakhstan. The main importing countries of Kazakh copper are China, Russia and Germany. In 2022, the volume of copper exports amounted to about $5 billion, of which more than 60% was sent to China.

Zinc exports are also an important source of income for Kazakhstan. The main importers of Kazakh zinc are the countries of the European Union, such as Germany, Spain and Italy. In 2022, zinc exports reached $1.2 billion.

Aluminum from Kazakhstan is exported mainly to Russia, China and Turkey. The volume of aluminum exports in 2022 amounted to $700 million.

Kazakhstani companies engaged in the extraction and processing of non-ferrous metals play an important role in the national economy. Among the biggest players:

• Kazakhmys Corp — holding carries out its activities in the mining industry, the main activity of the group is the extraction and processing of copper ore into cathode copper and copper rod, refining and sale of precious metals and other associated products obtained as a result of mining and processing of copper actively develop their activities both in the domestic market and abroad.
• Kaz Minerals is a leading copper mining company. The company’s main projects include the Aktogay, Bozshakol and Dzhezkazgan fields. In 2022, Kaz Minerals produced about 295 thousand tons of copper.
• Kazzinc is the largest producer of zinc and lead in Kazakhstan, controlled by the Swiss company Glencore. In 2022, Kazzinc produced 305 thousand tons of zinc and about 100 thousand tons of lead.
• The Eurasian Group (ERG) is a large holding company, which includes Aluminum of Kazakhstan, providing a full production cycle for the production of aluminum.
• Shalkiyatsink LTD is a company engaged in the exploration and production of lead and zinc at the Shalkiya deposit in the Kyzylorda region.

Non-ferrous metals remain one of the most important sectors of Kazakhstan’s economy, providing significant export revenues and sustainable development of the mining industry. The development of the raw material base and the attraction of investments in the industry continue to strengthen Kazakhstan’s position in the global non-ferrous metals market.