BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 23.The annual export potential of Azerbaijan's mining and metallurgical industry is planned to reach approximately $2 billion, based on 2025 average global prices.
This is outlined in the "State program for the development of the mining (metal ores) and metallurgical industry in Azerbaijan for 2027–2030," approved by the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
According to the State Program, it's planned to create new production capacities in the field and commission processing and metallurgical enterprises. In this framework, it's planned to create a beneficiation plant, a pellet production plant and a hot briquetted iron (IBD) production plant for the Dashkasan iron ore project, a new rolling plant of Baku Steel Company CJSC, an electrolysis plant of Azeraluminum LLC in Ganja, a calcination and anodizing plant based on technical and economic justification, as well as a flotation plant on the Soyudlu (Zod) field.
In the document, attracting foreign investments in the relevant field and increasing the added value created in the sector by more than two times due to the production capacities planned to be created is also defined as a goal.
The main goals of the state program include the development of sustainable and competitive production, expansion of the mineral-raw material base, development of geological exploration and ensuring efficient exploitation of existing deposits.
In addition, it’s envisaged to form an integrated production and processing chain from ore to the final product, to increase the production and export potential of metallurgical products with high added value, and to integrate processed metallurgical products into other areas of industry as raw materials and semi-finished products.
Expanding the application of modern technologies, digital solutions and innovative production methods, promoting the attraction of investments, and strengthening the potential of human capital and qualified staff are among the priorities of the program.
The document also provides the possibility of formation of Azerbaijan as a processing center for regionally strategically important minerals, including rare earth elements, and the evaluation of relevant institutional, infrastructure and investment bases.
One of the priority directions of the state program is the strengthening of the institutional and normative-legal base, as well as the technical infrastructure. For this purpose, it's envisaged to improve the mechanisms of using the underground, to adapt and digitize the preparation and presentation of geological data to international standards.
At the same time, it’s planned to adapt to modern economic, ecological and technological challenges, to create laboratory facilities that meet international standards, thereby increasing the sector's competitiveness and investment attractiveness.
