Kazakhstan's Mineral Reserves & Production

Kazakhstan is immensely rich in virtually all types of mineral reserves, particularly coal, iron are, lead, zinc, chromium, copper, manganese, bauxite and gold. With many of these minerals, Kazakhstan has a substantial proportion of the world's total reserves.

In addition to the above reserves, Kazakhstan among CIS states is also the largest producer of beryllium, tantalum, barite, uranium, cadmium, and arsenic. Bauxite is also mined in substantial quantities. Unlike many developing countries, Kazakhstan is welcoming foreign investors into the development of its natural resources. A strong indication of this policy has been the privatization. The Government began to privatize state mining companies in 1994. By July 1998, virtually the entire sector had been privatized.

Kazakhstan's Coal Reserves & Production

Kazakhstan has coal reserves of an estimated 37.5 billion short tones of mostly anthracitic and bituminous coal. The three primary coal basins located in eastern Kazakhstan, Ekibastus, Maikyubensk, and Karaganda, are extensively mined. Coal rank varies from low-rank sub-bituminous in the Maikyubensk basin to anthracite in the southern portion of the Karaganda basin. These reserves are the third largest in the CIS after Russia and Ukraine and place Kazakhstan's total reserves as the eight largest in the world, and but almost equal in size with the combined reserves of the worlds 9th largest (Germany-26.5) and the 10th largest (Poland-13.4).

In 2003 kazakhstan produced 86 million short tons (Mmst), while consuming 58 Mmst resulting in net exports of 28 Mmst of which the majority were exported to Southern Russia. According to the Kazakh Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the country plans to boost production by at least 25% by 2010. Most coal is consumed in coal mining areas either by steel production or electricity production which is 80% coal generated.

Major Holders of World Bituminous & Anthracite Coal Reserves - 1996 (Billion Short Tons)
	Country	Reserves
1	United States	235.1
2	Russia	173.1
3	China	105.7
4	India	80.2
5	South Africa	61.1
6	Australia	54.2
7	Ukraine	37.6
8	Kazakhstan	37.5
9	Germany	26.5
10	Poland	13.4
11	Canada	6.4
12	Indonesia	2.4