Kazakhstan Boosts Gold, Rare Earth Exploration in 2026

Kazakhstan is set to launch a new, large-scale phase of geological exploration in 2026, with the government planning to invest 240 billion tenge (around $500 million) to study its subsurface resources in greater detail, including potential reserves of gold and rare earth metals.

The funding will be directed toward 20 exploration projects over the next three years, The Caspian Post reports via Russian media.

The program will also cover seismic surveys in poorly studied sedimentary basins and the development of a modern geological infrastructure. For comparison, Kazakhstan invested about $469 million in geological exploration over the past 15 years.

“This year, the government is beginning a new stage of subsurface research at a much more detailed level,” the Kazakh government said.

The projects will include Earth remote sensing data analysis, aerogeophysical and geochemical studies, and comprehensive fieldwork, aiming to significantly improve the understanding of the country’s mineral potential.

Officials noted that the selection of exploration areas took into account resource depletion, the absence or limited presence of subsoil users, and the prospects for priority minerals. As a result, several zones with high potential for discovering deposits of copper, gold, lead, zinc, rare earth elements, barite, and bauxite have been identified.