ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 2. Kazakhstani geologists in the course of prospecting works in the Kuirektykol area under the state program on geological study of subsoil for the period of 2022-2024 have identified several promising areas with ample resources of rare earth metals with a total volume of about one million tons, Trend reports via the Ministry of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The Ministry of Industry reported that geologically, the ore-bearing rocks at the Kuirektykol site represent an ancient volcanic structure composed of extinct volcanoes and their products, which were subsequently altered by later magmatic processes.
"In terms of ore potential, the most promising areas are Irgiz and Dos 2, where the total content of rare earth elements exceeds 0.1 percent, reaching 0.25 percent and higher in certain samples," the ministry stated.
A preliminary assessment of the reserves in the Irgiz block, based on core sampling results and quantitative determination of rare earth elements, showed the presence of metals totaling around 800,000 tons, with an average content of over 0.1 percent.
After analyzing all available historical materials for the region and the results of prospecting work, a large prospective area called Zhana Kazakhstan (New Kazakhstan) was additionally identified and preliminarily evaluated. The area is named after the new phase of the country's development and extends to the south and west, continuing the ore-bearing layers that have already been discovered.
The ministry also emphasized that the total projected resources of rare earth metals at the Zhana Kazakhstan (New Kazakhstan) area, to a depth of 300 meters, exceed 20 million tons, with an average content of rare earth elements of approximately 700 g/t. There are no analogs of this type of rare earth ore in Kazakhstan, which allows it to be classified as a new industrial type.
"Successful development of ore beneficiation technology and extraction of valuable components will enhance the investment attractiveness and economic development of the region," the ministry added.
The Kuirektykol site is located 300 km southeast of Astana, in the Karkaraly district of the Karaganda region, 100 km northeast of Karkaralinsk.
