Kazakhstan has approved a major industrial investment project aimed at boosting domestic coke production and strengthening the country’s metallurgical sector.

The government signed an investment agreement with Kazakhstan Success Coking Energy for the construction of a new metallurgical coke plant in the Karaganda region, The Caspian Post reports via Kazinform.

The decree was approved by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov.

The new facility will be built in the village of Dubovka in the Abai district and is expected to produce up to one million tons of metallurgical coke annually once fully operational.

The project involves private investments totaling 63.5 billion tenge and is expected to create around 500 permanent jobs, while construction of an underground mine linked to the project will generate another 500 positions.

The initiative is designed to deepen coal processing, expand production of higher value-added industrial products, and strengthen Kazakhstan’s broader manufacturing and export potential.

Coal chemical products produced at the plant are expected to support multiple industries, including energy, agriculture, metallurgy, and pharmaceuticals.

Kazakhstan also expects the facility to significantly reduce reliance on imported coke. Any surplus production after meeting domestic demand will be exported to international markets.

The plant is scheduled to begin operations in 2029 with an initial output capacity of 500,000 tons per year. By the end of 2031, production is projected to reach its full design capacity of around one million tons annually.

The approval comes as Kazakhstan accelerates industrial development plans, including the launch of several new non-ferrous metallurgy projects expected to create more than 1,500 additional jobs in 2026.