President Tokayev proposes establishing Kazakhstan-Germany research center on rare earth metals
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has proposed that Germany participate in establishing a new regional research center on rare earth metals, potentially based at Kazakhstan’s National Center for Technical Foresight.
«We are ready to offer favorable conditions for the exploration and production of precious and non-ferrous metals in our country to German investors. I believe it would be beneficial to establish a regional research center on rare earth metals, based on Kazakhstan’s National Center for Technical Foresight, in partnership with our European counterparts,» he said during a meeting of Central Asian heads of state with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Tokayev emphasized the importance of expanding industrial cooperation with Germany, particularly by increasing exports of critical materials to the country.
«Kazakhstan invites German companies to participate in joint geological exploration and the production of rare earth metals. I propose launching our cooperation under the principle of ‘commodities in exchange for technologies,’ with primary and secondary ore processing conducted within the region. In this regard, we welcome the $500 million investment project in lithium production and processing by HMS Bergbau in the East Kazakhstan region,» the president added.
German company HMS Bergbau AG is implementing the lithium project in East Kazakhstan in partnership with Qazaq Lithium, a Kazakhstani company controlled by Creada Corporation.
Kazakhstan’s government plans to grant access to various deposits of indium, scandium, vanadium, thallium, gallium and other rare and rare earth metals that were classified during the Soviet era, according to Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov. To stimulate geological exploration and mineral production, Kazakhstan has introduced tax rates ranging from 1% to 7.8% for rare and rare earth metal production — some of the lowest rates applied to minerals — designed to attract potential investors.
