MP Marat Shibutov proposed that Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and Construction consider the mineral resources contained in accumulated mining waste. He said processing waste left by decades of mining could improve environmental conditions and free up land.
Shibutov raised the prospects for developing so-called technogenic mineral formations — accumulated mining waste that may contain recoverable minerals. Developing new deposits requires significant investment, resources and time, he said, while mining waste offers an additional source of minerals.
Over the past 150 years of mining in Kazakhstan, billions of tons of waste from ore enrichment have accumulated. In the past, technologies could not extract all valuable components from ore. At the same time, richer ores were mined, while some useful minerals ended up in waste dumps. This ore has already been crushed and lies at the surface, making it much easier to extract. Recovering waste from old mining sites could also extend their operating life and improve conditions in single-industry towns located near facilities.
In addition, secondary recovery can also benefit the environment by freeing up land occupied by waste storage sites. As of early 2024, Kazakhstan had 1,747 sites containing around 55 billion tons of mining waste. Most of this material consists of overburden rock, which can be used to produce construction materials, while a smaller proportion contains valuable mineral components. Waste accumulated before 1992 belongs to the state, while material accumulated after 1992 belongs to the companies.
Shibutov cited several examples, including chromium-mining waste at the Donskoy Ore Mining and Processing Plant in the Aktobe region; phosphorite deposits at Chulak-Tau, Zhanatas and Kokzhon in the Zhambyl region; and gold and silver in waste from the Leninogorsk Ore Concentration Plant. He also pointed to manganese waste at the Zhairem Mining and Processing Plant in the Karaganda region and 800 million tons of waste at Qarmet.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan already has companies successfully recovering valuable components from gold-bearing mine tailings at KazakhAltyn JSC’s Aksu, Bestobe and Zholymbet sites. The three processing plants have a combined capacity of 7 million tons per year, generating profits for the companies and tax revenue for the state budget.
Shibutov proposed that the ministry inventory technogenic mineral formations, distinguish between material owned by the state and that belonging to subsoil users, and prepare subsoil-use agreements to allow the development of state-owned tailings.