ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 13. Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov and Chairman of the Board of Directors of China's Zijin Mining Group Chen Jinghe discussed investment cooperation in the mining and metallurgical sector, Trend reports via the Kazakh government.
The sides noted the prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation in geological exploration and the development of new deposits. They also discussed joint measures for the implementation of a large-scale investment mining and metallurgical complex in the Akmola region.
Bektenov emphasized that the government will continue to provide full support for investment projects with high added value. Such partnerships, he said, will contribute to expanding mineral production, creating permanent jobs, and introducing advanced, environmentally sustainable technologies.
In turn, Chen Jinghe praised ongoing efforts to create favorable investment conditions and expressed interest in strengthening cooperation with Kazakhstan.
Meanwhile, according to the information, Kazakhstan ranks sixth globally in gold production and 13th in terms of reserves. The mining and metallurgical sector accounts for 8 percent of GDP, with annual output exceeding 14 trillion tenge ($26 billion). Around 224,000 people are employed in the industry, which attracted $3 billion in investments last year.
Zijin Mining Group is one of the world’s largest metallurgical companies, implementing 30 projects across 15 countries. The conglomerate ranks 778th on the Forbes Global 2000 list and 77th on Fortune China 500. Its shares are traded on the Hong Kong and Shanghai stock exchanges.