ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 21. Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin and the head of Germany's GP Günter Papenburg Karl Günter Papenburg, exchanged views on prospects for expanding cooperation in the copper sector, Trend reports via the Kazakh government.
During the talks, the Kazakh side presented its vision for the development of the copper industry and proposed considering concrete formats of cooperation.
According to the government, the development and technological modernization of the copper industry is one of the key priorities of Kazakhstan’s new proactive economic policy. Within the new growth model, priority sectors have been identified with a focus on producing higher value-added goods for both domestic and external markets.
It was noted that Kazakhstan has around 130 copper deposits. Annual ore production amounts to about 170 million tons, accounting for roughly 4% of global output. However, up to 97% of production is exported in the form of cathodes, concentrates, and raw ore.
Most of the mined ore- around 750,000 to 800,000 tons of copper per year-is processed into concentrate (second stage). Of this volume, about 470,000 tons are used for cathode production (third stage), while the remaining concentrate is exported without further processing.
Production of higher value-added products such as wire, foil, cables, and other finished goods accounts for less than 5%. The potential increase in gross value added in the copper industry is estimated at more than 20 times. In this context, the development of deeper copper processing is considered a key direction for increasing domestic value creation.
The German side expressed interest in further detailed discussions. It was noted that potential supplies of copper concentrate from Kazakhstan to Germany could also be considered, although logistics require additional study. The company also expressed readiness to explore the establishment of higher value-added production facilities in Kazakhstan, stressing that the most efficient plants should be located close to raw material sources.
The sides agreed to further work out possible cooperation formats with the participation of Baiterek National Managing Holding and with the support of the Kazakh embassy in Germany.
GP Günter Papenburg AG is one of Germany’s largest private industrial and construction groups with more than 160 years of history. The holding operates in raw materials extraction, construction materials production, infrastructure development, machinery trade, logistics, and waste management. The group unites 61 subsidiaries and has international project experience, including participation in the construction of the Astana-Borovoe highway in Kazakhstan.