Kazakhstan approves Qazaq Smelter copper plant in Balkhash

August 18, 2026 at 05:30 AM2 min

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Kazakhstan’s government approved an investment agreement with Qazaq Smelter LLP to build a copper smelter in Balkhash, Karaganda region. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said the project is set to raise annual copper production to more than 800,000 tonnes and exports to 760,000 tonnes.

Key Facts

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov announced about $470 million for geological exploration development in 2026–2028 at the Astana Mining & Metallurgy 2026 forum.
More than 4.6 million units of primary geological information have already been digitized, with artificial intelligence to be used next to accelerate deposit searches.
KAZ Minerals Management chair Aizhan Balabatyrova said a large copper project takes 17 to 23 years to develop even under the most favorable conditions.
ERG Kazakhstan has invested more than 282 billion tenge since 2018 in modernization, including best available technologies and automated monitoring.

Geological Exploration Funding

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said at Astana Mining & Metallurgy 2026 that the government will allocate about $470 million for further geological exploration development in 2026–2028. More than 4.6 million units of primary geological information have already been digitized. The next stage will use artificial intelligence to analyse data and accelerate the search for new deposits. KAZ Minerals Management chair Aizhan Balabatyrova said even under the most favourable circumstances, developing a large copper project takes 17 to 23 years.

Qazaq Smelter Project

The government has approved an investment agreement between the Ministry of Industry and Construction and Qazaq Smelter LLP for a copper smelter in Balkhash, Karaganda region. At full design capacity, the plant is expected to raise Kazakhstan’s annual copper production by 1.5 times, to more than 800,000 tonnes. Copper exports are planned to increase from 460,000 tonnes to 760,000 tonnes.

Copper Demand and Environmental Modernization

KAZ Minerals Management chair Aizhan Balabatyrova told the RES 2026 EXPO panel that copper is needed for renewable energy, electricity grids and electric vehicles. An offshore wind installation requires 9.6 tonnes of copper per megawatt of capacity, compared with one tonne for gas generation, and an electric vehicle contains more than 70 kilograms of copper. She said copper supply will be almost two times behind demand by 2050, with a serious gap already visible by 2030. ERG Kazakhstan environmental director Talgat Torebekov said the company has invested more than 282 billion tenge since 2018 in modernization, including best available technologies, updated treatment systems and automated monitoring.