Kazakhstan is taking strategic steps to strengthen its position in the global electric vehicle (EV) battery market by increasing the output of critical metals, according to the country’s industry minister, Kanat Sharlapaev. In an interview with Reuters, Sharlapaev revealed that the Central Asian nation is issuing hundreds of new exploration licenses to attract fresh investments in the mining and processing of metals vital to the rapidly growing EV sector.
The former Soviet republic, rich in natural resources, is positioning itself as a reliable supplier of critical materials, particularly as geopolitical tensions disrupt global supply chains. With Russia threatening to limit its exports of essential commodities and China tightening its grip on rare earth elements, Kazakhstan has become a critical player. The nation has already signed deals with the European Union and the United Kingdom for the supply of key minerals, reinforcing its growing role in global trade.
“People know that Kazakhstan is very reliable... We've been supplying markets for a very long time,” Sharlapaev said.
Kazakhstan, the world’s ninth-largest country by land area, boasts deposits of 90% of the elements in the periodic table. It is already a significant exporter of ferroalloys, gold, and copper, and aims to expand its market share in battery materials such as lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, and graphite. The country’s abundant reserves and proactive approach to resource management place it in a strong position to meet the rising global demand for EV battery materials.
Although the country is still exploring its lithium deposits, it has made substantial progress in other areas. Last year, Kazakhstan began processing manganese sulfate, a key material for batteries, with a goal of capturing 10% of the global market. The nation also supplies phosphates for fertilizers and aims to play a major role in producing materials for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are becoming increasingly popular.
"Building scalable processing of battery-grade metals is something we want to expand," Sharlapaev noted. He emphasized that Kazakhstan already has production facilities in place and is focused on broadening the range of materials it can process.
The global demand for critical minerals has intensified as Western nations seek to reduce their dependence on Russian and Chinese supplies. Russia’s recent announcement of potential export restrictions on uranium, titanium, and nickel has further highlighted the importance of alternative suppliers. Kazakhstan, which is already a major global supplier of uranium and titanium, could play a pivotal role in mitigating potential shortages.
The country is also home to 2% of the world’s nickel reserves, but its current contribution to global output remains minimal. Exploration efforts are underway to tap into these deposits and further boost the nation’s production capabilities. To accelerate this process, Kazakhstan has streamlined the procedures for exploration licenses, moving the system online to encourage more investments. So far this year, the government has issued 487 exploration licenses, a significant increase from the 397 issued in 2023.
Kazakhstan's efforts to bolster its mining sector have attracted interest from major global mining firms, including BHP, Rio Tinto, First Quantum Minerals, Fortescue, and Teck Resources, all of which are involved in exploration projects in the country. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has also invested in a firm exploring for graphite, a key component in battery production.
Despite being a member of Russian-led economic and security organizations, Kazakhstan has maintained a neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and continues to abide by Western sanctions. The country is also playing a critical role in the development of alternative trade routes, bypassing Russia, to facilitate the smooth flow of goods.
Kazakhstan’s long-standing reliability as a resource exporter, combined with its rich deposits of essential materials, positions the nation as a key player in the global battery supply chain, offering the potential to meet the world's growing demand for clean energy solutions.
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