<p>Outside the mine site of Kazakhmys’ copper mine in Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan.</p>
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Outside the mine site of Kazakhmys’ copper mine in Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan attracts investors

Kazakhstan’s mining industry has been growing constantly since 2005. Its value is expected to reach close to 30 billion US dollars by 2017, according to a report by Business Monitor.

Coal, gold and copper account for the majority of the value. Coal production is one of the core industries for Kazakhstan, employing around 40,000 people in the mineral-rich province of Karagandy alone. The country’s mining boom is now attracting investments from global giants such as Rio Tinto, which is committed to investing USD 100 million in exploring for copper in northern Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan, bigger than all of Western Europe, also holds huge reserves of uranium, chromium, lead, zinc, manganese, iron, diamonds, petroleum and natural gas.