Kazakhstan has announced the discovery of a substantial rare earth metals deposit in the Karaganda region, potentially positioning the country among the world’s leading holders of these strategically important resources.
The development was disclosed by the country’s Ministry of Industry and Construction and has been reported by international news agencies, including Reuters.
According to preliminary geological data, the site holds estimated resources of over 20 million tonnes of ore, with mineralisation found at depths of up to 300 metres. The average concentration of rare earth metals is reported at approximately 700 grams per tonne.
If verified, the deposit would be among the largest globally. Kazakhstan is not currently listed by the United States Geological Survey among countries with known rare earth reserves. However, the new findings suggest the Central Asian state may now rank behind only China and Brazil in terms of potential reserves.
The geological analysis, conducted by the private exploration company Tsentrgeolsyomka LLP, revealed elevated concentrations of several key rare earth elements. These include neodymium, cerium, lanthanum, and yttrium — elements critical to the production of advanced technologies such as wind turbines, electric vehicles, defence systems, and high-performance electronics.
Maxim Klochkow, chief geologist at Tsentrgeolsyomka, stated that samples taken from ore-bearing zones showed “elevated concentrations of nearly all rare earth elements”, with notable predominance of the aforementioned four. He added that the mineralogical characteristics of the deposit are unlike any previously identified in Kazakhstan.
The Ministry of Industry and Construction described the site as representing a new industrial category of rare earth mineralisation, noting the absence of comparable deposits within the country. The discovery, it said, could serve as the foundation for a new extractive and processing industry in Kazakhstan, subject to further verification and development.
“Discovered rare earth deposits and promising areas, upon further confirmation, could in the future bring Kazakhstan to leading positions globally in terms of rare earth element reserves,” the Ministry stated.
Rare earth elements are vital components in modern manufacturing and high-tech industries. Their supply has become a matter of strategic importance in recent years, with geopolitical tensions and global demand driving efforts to diversify sources outside dominant suppliers such as China. The European Union, the United States, and Japan have all taken steps to reduce their dependency on Chinese rare earth exports.
The reported Kazakh discovery comes at a time of increased international interest in securing alternative supply chains. Kazakhstan’s geological potential, infrastructure, and proximity to major Asian and European markets make it a potential player in reshaping the global supply landscape.
Kazakhstan is a member of several regional and international organisations concerned with energy and resource governance. The government has also signalled interest in attracting foreign investment into its mining and raw materials sectors. The discovery of a large-scale rare earth deposit could bolster these efforts, although commercial extraction and processing are likely to require significant capital investment, technical capacity, and environmental oversight.
No timeline has yet been provided for further exploration or potential development of the Karaganda site. However, given the reported size and quality of the deposit, industry observers are expected to monitor closely for updates.
The announcement adds to a growing list of mineral exploration activities across Central Asia, a region increasingly viewed as underexplored but geologically promising. Kazakhstan, in particular, has sought to leverage its mineral wealth — including uranium, copper, and other base metals — as part of its broader industrial diversification strategy.
The Ministry indicated that additional exploratory work is planned to delineate the full extent and economic viability of the deposit. Should subsequent studies confirm initial estimates, Kazakhstan may soon enter the rare earth supply chain in earnest, with implications for both its domestic economy and the global market.
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