The Japanese Government is providing US$3 million ($4.3 million) for a program supporting environmentally responsible rare earth and rare metals development in Kazakhstan.
Japan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed an agreement on 30 October to launch the initiative, which will be implemented with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and Construction.
Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs values the grant at ¥486 million ($4.3 million).
The program will support the development of regulatory and policy frameworks covering mineral extraction and processing, alongside environmental monitoring and digital data-management systems.
Pilot work will test monitoring systems at mineral deposits to identify pollution and other environmental risks before full-scale industrial development.
Kazakhstan has identified more than 120 deposits containing rare metals and rare earth elements, according to UNDP. However, the partners have not identified the deposits involved in the pilot work or disclosed any commercial production targets.
UNDP Resident Representative in Kazakhstan Katarzyna Wawiernia says increased demand for critical minerals presents economic opportunities but requires stronger environmental oversight.
“Strong environmental governance, pollution prevention, and the protection of local communities must be central to the sector’s development,” Wawiernia says.
The initiative comes as Japan seeks alternative sources of rare earths amid Chinese export restrictions. Japanese officials recently warned that the country’s yttrium stockpiles could be exhausted within months, as reported by Mining.com.au.
The Kazakhstan program is intended to support longer-term supply-chain diversification. It does not provide funding for the construction of a mine or processing facility.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
Main image: United Nations Development Programme
