Wedoany.com Report-Nov. 7, Kazakhstan and the United States have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on critical minerals, the presidential press service of Kazakhstan announced on Thursday. The document was signed in Washington by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Industry and Construction, Yersayin Nagaspayev, and US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. Also present at the signing was Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who arrived in the US on Wednesday.

The document was signed by Minister of Industry and Construction of Kazakhstan Yersayin Nagaspayev and US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.

The signing followed a meeting between President Tokayev and US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs Sergio Gor. In a statement, Tokayev highlighted the “excellent opportunities” for Kazakhstan and the US to strengthen their strategic partnership through economic cooperation.

The MOU is seen as a strategic step for the US to secure potential supplies of rare earths, aiming to diversify global sources beyond China. Kazakhstan, still largely underexplored, is considered to hold promising rare earth reserves. Earlier this year, the deputy chairman of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and Construction noted that if current forecasts are confirmed, the country could become one of the world’s top 10 rare earth producers.

This potential is supported by the Kuyrektykol deposit, estimated to contain around 800,000 tonnes of rare earth metals, which would rank Kazakhstan behind only China and Brazil in reserve size. Official data indicates the country has over 980 solid mineral deposits. Since 2018, Kazakhstan has issued 2,906 exploration licenses and 111 production licenses, although only a small number of sites are actively being explored. Over the past five years, the sector has attracted approximately $1 billion in private investment.

Tungsten is another focus of US-Kazakhstan cooperation. Bloomberg reported last month that the Trump administration is facilitating talks for a US company to access two of Kazakhstan’s largest tungsten deposits, valued at billions of dollars. Commerce Secretary Lutnick has been assisting negotiations between Cove Kaz Capital Group and Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund. Cove Kaz has already formed a joint venture with JSC Qazgeology, the national geological exploration company, for a rare earth project in the Kostanay region.

The proposed tungsten projects could produce supply for 30 to 40 years. US Geological Survey data shows that China currently accounts for about 80% of global tungsten concentrate production. Although Kazakhstan is not among the top countries globally for recoverable tungsten, official estimates suggest reserves exceed 2 million tonnes.

This MOU and ongoing collaborations, including a $4.2 billion rail deal facilitated by the US Commerce Department earlier this year, highlight Kazakhstan’s growing role as a strategic partner for critical minerals and infrastructure projects. The agreement sets the stage for long-term cooperation in rare earth and tungsten development, supporting both countries’ economic and industrial objectives.