Kazakhstan's $1.5B industrial push targets gold, copper, and high-tech steel

Kazakhstan is pushing forward with a major industrial transformation. The country is investing in new facilities and modernising existing ones to boost its role as a producer of high-value goods. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has highlighted its potential to become a leading mining and metallurgical hub in Eurasia. A hydrometallurgical plant is currently under construction in the Pavlodar region. It will process 300,000 tons of gold-copper concentrate annually and produce up to 15 tons of gold each year.

In the Abai region, a $1.5 billion copper smelter is being built to process copper concentrate domestically. Meanwhile, Qarmet is upgrading its production in the Karaganda region to manufacture higher-value products, such as automotive steel.

Several other large facilities have already been launched, producing goods worth over $1 billion in total. These projects align with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s goal of shifting the economy towards deep processing and high value-added manufacturing. Kazakhstan is also working with international partners to attract investment, transfer technology, and train its workforce. The new industrialisation policy focuses on modern production and technological innovation. Kazakhstan aims to strengthen its position as both a raw materials supplier and a competitive industrial producer. The country also seeks to become a key platform for international projects in critical minerals and advanced technologies.