Published on 28 October, 2025
Kazakhstan, June 2025 – Jointly with DG INTPA and the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, the Critical Raw Materials Facility (CRMF) invited European critical raw materials industry, finance and research partners for a week-long mission to Kazakhstan from 6–10 June 2025, visiting several key industrial and mining sites to explore collaboration and investment opportunities along the critical raw materials (CRM) value chain.
The visit included meetings with Taza Metals, ERG, KAZ Minerals, Ulba Metallurgical Plant, and Sarytogan Graphite, representing a broad cross-section of Kazakhstan’s prolific CRM ecosystem—from manganese and alumina to tantalum and graphite.
At Taza Metals in Aksu, discussions centred on the company’s plans to expand production of high-purity manganese sulphate (HPMSM) for the European battery market, with the potential to supply up to 30% of the EU’s demand by 2030. The team also visited ERG’s alumina and gallium facilities in Pavlodar and KAZ Minerals’ copper mine in Bozshakol, both examples of large-scale operations that could support Europe’s secure and sustainable raw materials supply.
Further east, the delegation toured the Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Ust’-Kamenogorsk, one of the world’s few integrated producers of uranium, tantalum, and beryllium. Discussions there focused on potential cooperation in research and innovation to improve recovery of high-value metals.
The mission concluded with a visit to Sarytogan Graphite, which is developing one of the world’s highest-grade natural graphite deposits. The project is currently under evaluation for ERMA Booster funding, with potential offtake interest already emerging from European industry.
These visits highlighted Kazakhstan’s strategic role in strengthening the EU’s diversified and resilient CRM supply chains. The CRM-Facility will continue to engage with promising partners to facilitate investment, offtake, and joint-venture opportunities that advance both European and Kazakh interests in the raw materials sector.
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