Kazakhstan Launches First Integrated Geological Cluster to Boost Mineral Exploration

Kazakhstan has inaugurated its first integrated geological cluster, marking a significant step in establishing the country as a regional hub for advanced mineral exploration.

The cluster brings together all major geological exploration processes on a single site, supported by equipment found in only seven comparable centers globally, The Caspian Post reports, citing The Times of Central Asia.

The new facility features a training center and a state-of-the-art laboratory complex, enabling rapid geological analysis. It also houses Kazakhstan’s largest core storage facility, which will serve as the national archive of primary geological data.

Kazakhmys Corporation, one of the country’s leading mining companies, invested approximately 11 billion tenge into the project.

“We are launching infrastructure that makes Kazakhstan’s geological sector more precise, faster, and technologically advanced. From primary data storage and laboratory research to digital analysis and professional training, everything is integrated into one platform. This new level will ensure the sustainable development of the country’s mineral resource base,” said Nurakhmet Nuriyev, Chairman of the Board of Kazakhmys Corporation, during the opening ceremony.

The cluster is expected to advance the digitalization of Kazakhstan’s geological industry, enhance research capacity, and elevate the quality of mineral exploration nationwide.

As part of a broader vision, a new higher education institution, Ulytau University, will be established on the cluster grounds. The university will be developed in partnership with the Colorado School of Mines, one of the world’s top mining institutions. It will train specialists in geology, mineral engineering, and related disciplines.

A memorandum on the establishment of Ulytau University was signed between the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan and Kazakhmys Corporation. The Colorado School of Mines is expected to open its first international campus at the new university in Zhezkazgan, offering instruction in English and launching four core bachelor’s programs: Mining; Geology and Geological Exploration; Geophysical Engineering; and Petroleum Engineering.