Agenda

With global demand soaring, Central Asia’s vast reserves of critical raw materials are at the intersection of economic opportunity and geopolitical strategy. The session will offer a Deeper Dive into Central Asia’s Critical Minerals Chessboard of complex interplay of international investment (EU, China, US, UK), local governance, sustainability challenges, and the political momentum driving the sector. Gain a crucial understanding of the risks and rewards of engaging in this strategically vital region. 

Echoing Donald Trump’s statement “I like coal”, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan and other Eurasian states are redesigning new energy security policies, strategically balancing the immediate reliance on fossil fuels and the future potential of nuclear power with renewable infrastructure development. This session will explore how these redefined energy policies—driven by national interests and a critical view of global climate rhetoric—will affect existing Climate Change and Decarbonisation commitments. The discussion will focus on the geopolitical and economic consequences for the extractive industries, particularly the accelerated development of new coal, uranium, lithium, rare-earth and other ore deposits critical for both fossil fuel stability and the global clean energy transition. 

The overall need for capital in the mining sector is immense due to the demand for critical minerals essential for the global energy transition. Central Asia presents a fascinating region for mining and infrastructure development. The vast natural resources, strategic location, and growing economies make it an attractive but also challenging destination for investors and developers.  When returns and de-risking are attractive, processing, downstream, greenfield exploration and brownfield expansions can be a profitable and rewarding investment. 

Kazakhstan’s mining industry is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by national economic reforms and shifting global demand for metals and minerals. This session will provide a comprehensive outlook on the key drivers, investment trends, and major projects shaping geological exploration and critical mineral development. It will also highlight Kazakhstan’s growing strategic role as a mineral supplier to Europe and Asia and examine how global market dynamics and geopolitics are influencing the country’s energy and resource strategies. 

Mining and processing raw materials pose substantial environmental risks. This session provides an overview of the environmental risks associated with mining activities, including climate change-related risks, air and water pollution, and impact on biodiversity. It examines selected tools and approaches to assess and mitigate these risks, focusing on sustainable environmental assessments, sustainable infrastructure decarbonisation frameworks, from mines to markets traceability and circular economy approaches.

Central Asia’s vast hydrocarbon and geothermal reserves hold immense untapped potential for critical raw materials vital to the global energy transition. Groundbreaking research from the University of Oxford reveals that oilfield brines—long considered waste—can serve as profitable sources of major and ultra-rare elements such as lithium, bromine, gallium, and rare earths.  The session will feature short presentations and a panel discussion showcasing Oxford’s spin-out companies and their real-world applications — showing potential revenue streams exceeding traditional hard-rock mining values, discuss technology transfer partnerships already underway, and outline how Central Asian nations can leverage existing oil and gas infrastructure to become global leaders in critical mineral supply. This is not theoretical research, it’s proven technology ready for scale-up, offering Central Asia the opportunity to supply the materials essential for the next Industrial Revolution while maintaining environmental responsibility and generating substantial economic returns.