Mining by country/Asia

Mining in Kazakhstan

It is in the world top three for chromium (#3), tungsten (#3). The story below follows its minerals from the ground to the economy, the export ports and the mines.

14%of the world's chromium, 2025
2minerals where it is a top-3 producer
9.1%of GDP from mineral rents, 2021
16%of exports are ores and metals, 2025

01 · What it digs

Share of the world's output

Kazakhstan mined 14% of the world's chromium in 2025, ranking #3. Across the 34 minerals we track it holds a share of at least 0.5% in 14.

  1. Chromium14%#3
  2. Gold3.9%#8
  3. Copper3.1%#10
  4. Tungsten2.8%#3
  5. Zinc2.8%#9
  6. Silver2.4%#12
  7. Silicon2.4%#5
  8. Molybdenum1.6%#7
  9. Magnesium1.2%#6
  10. Bismuth1.1%#5

USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, mine stage, latest year per mineral. Columns on the globe: every producer of chromium.

02 · Mining in the economy

What the ground is worth

Mineral rents came to 9.1% of Kazakhstan's GDP in 2021, higher than 93% of the countries the World Bank reports; ores and metals made up 16% of its merchandise exports in 2025. GDP was $306bn in 2025.

World Bank WDI: mineral rents (NY.GDP.MINR.RT.ZS) and ores and metals exports (TX.VAL.MMTL.ZS.UN). The globe shades every country by mineral rents.

03 · Six years of output

How production moved

Mine production, chromium, gold, copper, zinc, USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2022 to 2026 (each year as last reported).

04 · Where it goes

Follow the exports

Its largest mineral export line in the trade data is copper: $5.4bn in 2024, led by China ($2.9bn), China ($2.5bn).

  • Copper → China ore$2.9bn
  • Copper → China refined$2.5bn
  • Uranium → Russia intermediate$1.8bn
  • Uranium → China intermediate$1.8bn
  • Chromium → China intermediate$1.1bn
  • Chromium → Japan intermediate$0.4bn
  • Zinc → China refined$0.3bn
  • Zinc → Russia refined$0.2bn

CEPII BACI bilateral trade, by value; arcs run from Kazakhstan to the buyer.

05 · Jurisdiction

How it governs

The World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators put Kazakhstan at -0.41 on rule of law in 2025, higher than 39% of countries. These are perception-based estimates on a scale from −2.5 to +2.5; they describe the operating environment, not any company.

  • Rule of law-0.41above 39% of countries
  • Political stability-0.20above 36% of countries
  • Regulatory quality+0.02above 55% of countries
  • Control of corruption-0.26above 48% of countries

World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators. The globe shades every country by rule of law.

Mining by country

The stats board

What Kazakhstan mines: chromium (14% of world output, #3), gold (3.9% of world output, #8), copper (3.1% of world output, #10), tungsten (2.8% of world output, #3). Mineral rents are 9.1% of GDP. Below: 3 projects held by listed companies and 30 mines from open mine databases.

Mineral rents9.1%of GDP, 2021. Higher than 93% of countries.
Ores and metals16%of merchandise exports, 2025.
Biggest world roleChromium14% of world mine output, #3, 2025.
World top-3 producer of2minerals we track.
On our globe333 projects held by listed companies and 30 mines with open output data.
Governance, World Bank WGI 2025
  • Rule of law-0.41above 39% of countries
  • Political stability-0.20above 36% of countries
  • Regulatory quality+0.02above 55% of countries
  • Control of corruption-0.26above 48% of countries
Estimates from −2.5 to +2.5; the bar sits at the country's score.

Kazakhstan in numbers: the infographic

Share of world mine production

MineralWorld shareWorld rankYear
Chromium14%32025
Gold3.9%82025
Copper3.1%102025
Tungsten2.8%32025
Zinc2.8%92025
Silver2.4%122025
Silicon2.4%52025
Molybdenum1.6%72025
Magnesium1.2%62025
Bismuth1.1%52025
Aluminium and bauxite1.1%102025
Phosphate rock0.8%172025
Antimony0.7%82025
Iron ore0.7%142025

Projects held by listed companies

ProjectCompanyMineralsStage
Balasausqandiq existing concentrate processing operation (pilot plant)Ferro-Alloy ResourcesMolybdenum, Nickel, VanadiumProducing
Kounrad (SX-EW copper recovery from old dumps)Central Asia MetalsCopperProducing
Balasausqandiq vanadium project (Ore-Bodies 1-7; Balausa)Ferro-Alloy ResourcesMolybdenum, Rare earths, Uranium, VanadiumDevelopment

Mines

MineMineralsOperatorLatest published output
AkbastauCopper, Silver, Gold, Zinc35,541 t (2014)
AktogayCopper, Silver, Gold110,600 t (2018)
ArtemyevskyZinc, Silver, Gold, Copper27,489 t (2016)
AtansoreIron ore330,000 t (2019)
AtasuIron ore495,000 t (2019)
BelousovskyCopper, Silver, Gold, Zinc224 t (2011)
BozshakolCopper, Silver, Gold106,400 t (2018)
InkaiUraniumJV Inkai
IrtyshskyCopper, Silver, Gold, Zinc9,733 t (2016)
Kazzinc - Altyntau KokshetauZinc, Gold
Kazzinc - DolinnyZinc
Kazzinc - MaleevskyZinc, Copper, Lead, Gold, Silver
Kazzinc - Ridder-SokolnyZinc, Gold, Copper, Lead
Kazzinc - ShubinskyZinc, Silver, Gold, Copper, Lead
Kazzinc - TishinskyZinc, Copper, Lead
Kazzinc - ZhairemZinc, Lead, Manganese
KentobeIron ore220,000 t (2019)
KosmurunCopper, Silver, Gold, Zinc8,163 t (2008)
KounradCopper, Silver, Gold12,384 t (2014)
LisakovskIron ore495,000 t (2019)
NikolayevskyCopper, Silver, Gold, Zinc1,726 t (2012)
NurkazganCopper, Silver, Gold18,247 t (2014)
OrlovskyCopper, Silver, Gold, Zinc26,838 t (2019)
SayakCopper, Silver, Gold12,112 t (2014)
ShatyrkulCopper, Silver, Gold10,291 t (2014)
Zhezkazgan AnnenskyCopper, Silver8,119 t (2012)
Zhezkazgan East and WestCopper, Silver45,741 t (2014)
Zhezkazgan NorthCopper, Silver10,330 t (2014)
Zhezkazgan South and StepnoyCopper, Silver49,011 t (2014)
Zhezkazgan ZhomartCopper, Silver30,841 t (2014)

By mineral

Aluminium and bauxite minesAntimony minesBismuth minesChromium minesCopper minesGold minesIron ore minesMolybdenum minesNickel minesPhosphate rock minesRare earths minesSilver minesTungsten minesUranium minesVanadium minesZinc mines

World shares: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, latest year per mineral. Mineral rents, exports and governance: World Bank WDI and WGI. Trade: CEPII BACI. Projects: listed companies' announcements.