Elvira Kadyrova
Central Asia is emerging as a global focal point amid the worldwide transition toward clean energy. Abundant reserves of uranium, copper, lithium, and rare earth metals position the region as a strategic partner for the EU, the US, and other international stakeholders seeking to diversify supply chains and reduce reliance on dominant market players.
These findings are highlighted in a report by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) titled Critical Minerals in the OSCE Area. The report evaluates the region’s raw material base, workforce constraints, infrastructure readiness, and environmental vulnerabilities.
A Vast Resource Base of Transition Metals and Minerals
Central Asian states possess substantial reserves of raw materials essential for clean technologies:
- Kazakhstan serves as a major global supplier, holding the world’s second-largest uranium reserves and accounting for 39% of global output in 2024. Uranium remains crucial for low-carbon nuclear power generation. Additionally, the country supplies substantial volumes of copper, vital for electrical grids and electric vehicles.
- Uzbekistan acts as another key supplier due to its significant uranium and copper resources. Under the “Uzbekistan–2030” Strategy, the country is modernizing its mining industry, targeting a 3.5-fold increase in copper production and a 3-fold increase in uranium production by 2030.
- Tajikistan ranks as the world’s second-largest antimony producer (17,000 tonnes in 2024)—a material critical for energy and defense applications—and supplied 54% of the EU’s antimony imports in 2023. Over 800 mineral deposits have been identified across the country, including potential lithium reserves.
- Kyrgyzstan has identified 22 critical minerals within its territory, opening opportunities for integration into global clean energy supply chains.
- Turkmenistan holds critical mineral potential that remains largely untapped. Some studies indicate potential reserves of lithium, copper ores, and rare earth elements. Through the “C5+1” framework, Turkmenistan maintains high-level dialogue with the United States aimed at fostering investment and industrial cooperation in mining and critical raw materials diversification.
Diversification of Supply Chains
Currently, global mining and especially processing of critical minerals remain highly concentrated.
The authors of the report emphasize that amid rising geopolitical risks, Central Asia is becoming a crucial partner for diversifying supply chains and enhancing energy security. The region is actively developing new strategic partnership formats with the United States (the “C5+1” dialogue), the European Union, Germany (“Z5+1”), the United Kingdom, Italy, and Türkiye.
Russia continues to play a significant role in Central Asia’s critical minerals sector. For instance, Kazakhstan’s uranium reserves hold strategic importance for Russia, which holds equity stakes in several joint ventures for uranium mining in Kazakhstan. Russia also maintains active industrial and trade cooperation with Uzbekistan, including projects in the nuclear sector, copper extraction, and geological exploration.
Pursuit of Localized Processing and Value Addition
The majority of minerals extracted in Central Asia are currently exported as raw materials for downstream processing outside the region.
Up to 90% of critical raw materials from Central Asia are processed in China, with a substantial portion also exported to Russia for processing.
However, Central Asian states are increasingly seeking to move beyond the role of raw material exporters. They are implementing strategies to enhance local value addition, developing domestic processing capacity to capture higher-value segments in global clean technology supply chains.
Environmental and Climate Challenges of the Transition
Meanwhile, OSCE experts note that the clean energy transition requires a responsible approach, as mineral extraction and processing are highly energy- and water-intensive. Given climate change and the transboundary nature of Central Asia’s water resources, the sustainability of this transition directly depends on effective joint water management and the implementation of stringent ESG standards.
Human Capital and Workforce Constraints
The report highlights human capital development as a critical driver for modernizing, boosting competitiveness, and sustainably expanding Central Asia’s critical minerals sector.
The region faces structural labor challenges, including acute skill shortages, difficulties in talent attraction and retention, and high demand for expertise in automation, digital systems, environmental management, and occupational health and safety.
Furthermore, the report notes low female participation in the mining industry. Women account for only 7% to 18.4% of the mining workforce across the region (approximately 18.4% in Kazakhstan, 13% to 26.5% in Uzbekistan, 7.8% in Kyrgyzstan, and around 10–11% in Tajikistan).
Solutions: How Central Asia Can Unlock Its Critical Mineral Potential
To enable Central Asian states to effectively realize their potential in the critical minerals sector, the OSCE recommends fostering policy dialogue and regional cooperation across three key areas where the Organization’s mandate and expertise can add value:
- Supporting an enabling, predictable regulatory framework and building capacity for sustainable sector development. This includes aligning national approaches with international Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards, as well as strengthening oversight of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures. Integrating sustainable water and energy management and factoring climate risks into mining planning remain essential for Central Asia’s energy- and water-intensive mining sector.
- Developing human capital, ensuring inclusivity, and workforce sustainability. Specifically, experts highlight the need to align educational and vocational training curricula with the rapidly evolving demands of the mining industry, increase female participation, and bridge digital divides.
- Promoting regional and cross-regional cooperation and exchange of best practices. Given the transboundary nature of water resources, shared logistical bottlenecks, and regional water-energy interdependence, the report recommends enhancing coordination in transport and logistics, clean technology, and the circular economy. It also suggests establishing a dedicated regional platform or mechanism on critical minerals to exchange geological and regulatory expertise, coordinate EIA standards, and prevent potential resource conflict risks.
/// nCa, 4 September 2026