Kazakhstan Boosts EV Battery Metals Output

By Olzhas Auyezov and Eric Onstad

Kazakhstan is aiming to increase the output of essential metals for electric vehicle (EV) batteries by issuing hundreds of new exploration licenses. The country’s industry minister, Kanat Sharlapaev, emphasized Kazakhstan’s reliability as a supplier of critical materials, especially amidst rising export restrictions from Russia and China.

Kazakhstan, which holds deposits of 90% of the elements in the periodic table, is already a key exporter of ferroalloys, gold, and copper. The nation seeks to capture a larger share of the battery materials market for lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, and graphite, with plans to achieve 10% of the global market in manganese sulfate processing.

Sharlapaev noted, “Building scalable processing of battery-grade metals is something we want to expand,” indicating existing production facilities are available for this purpose. Despite threats from Russia concerning limitations on the export of materials like uranium and titanium, Kazakhstan remains a crucial supplier in these sectors, while also beginning to explore its lithium deposits.

To accelerate exploration, the government has streamlined licensing procedures, with 487 licenses issued this year compared to 397 for all of 2023. Major mining companies involved in exploration include BHP, Rio Tinto, First Quantum Minerals, Fortescue, and Teck Resources. Additionally, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has invested in a firm researching graphite in Kazakhstan. Despite being part of Russian-led economic groups, Kazakhstan maintains a neutral stance in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and adheres to Western sanctions against Moscow.