During Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state visit to South Korea, the Chief Executive Officer of JSC NMC Tau-Ken Samruk signed two cooperation agreements in Seoul with South Korean partners – POSCO Holdings and the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM).
Nariman Absametov also joined a series of meetings held by Nurlan Zhakupov, the Chief Executive Officer of Samruk-Kazyna, with South Korean government officials, business leaders, and research institutions. During negotiations, the parties discussed prospects for cooperation across the mining and metallurgical sector, geological exploration, and critical minerals.
The memorandum signed with POSCO Holdings seeks to create a high-tech production chain in Kazakhstan for high-value-added rare earth element products. Primary focus areas cover high-purity REE separation and refining technologies, metallization, product development, and rare earths element extraction from secondary industrial materials and production by-products. The partners will also undertake joint research to identify future projects.
POSCO Holdings is the parent holding company of one of South Korea’s largest industrial groups, with operations spanning metallurgy, critical minerals, battery materials, and advanced technologies.
Another agreement was signed with KIGAM, a South Korean state research institute specializing in geology and mineral resources. The agreement provides for joint research and lithium exploration to assess resource potential and evaluate prospects for future development.
Tau-Ken Samruk and KIGAM have been collaborating since 2024. Since then, the parties have conducted joint research across key critical mineral sectors.
The Seoul agreements encompass two interconnected focus areas: geological exploration and resource potential evaluation for critical minerals, as well as the introduction of advanced processing technologies and local production of high-value-added products.