BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 10
By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:
Kazakhstan and Russia are currently working to establish joint exploration of subsoil of border areas to study the mineral resources potential of these territories, Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Serikkali Brekeshev said, Trend reports citing Kazinform.
Brekeshev said that over the past seven-eight years, a number of large foreign world-class mining companies, such as RioTinto, KORES, ILUKA Resources and others have been involved in the geological exploration in Kazakhstan.
Thus, he said, over the past three years, a study was carried out on the territory of 75,000 square kilometers in cooperation with investors. As a result of this work, large lead-zinc deposit - Dyusembay, the Besshoky copper deposit, and the Pribrezhnoye deposit in the Balkhash region were discovered. As a result of cooperation, about 17 billion tenge ($40.3 million) were attracted to the country.
In addition to financing joint projects, investors ensure the introduction of advanced exploration methods and technologies, as well as training of Kazakh personnel.
Kazakhstan’s Kazgeology is also currently holding negotiations with the US Geological Survey (USGS) in the framework of regional studies to identify solid minerals, including rare earth metals, using USGS technologies.
In order to expand cooperation with Russia in the field of geology and determining mineral and raw material potential, a joint study of the subsoil of the border territories is being worked on.
The study of the rare-metal-gold-polymetallic province of Central Asia - Great Altai is also among priority projects at the moment. Taking into account the great interest shown by foreign geological services and investors in mutually beneficial cooperation, Kazakhstan is planning to continue working in this direction.
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