Toronto, March 1, 2026 – The Kazakh delegation, led by Vice Minister of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan I.Sharkhan, took part in PDAC 2026, the world’s largest international conference organized by the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada.

On the sidelines of the conference, the Ministry of Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan, jointly with the Kazakhstan Chamber of Mines and Aurora Minerals Group Limited, and with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Canada, organized the international forum “Kazakhstan Day” dedicated to the country’s potential in the field of geological exploration.

The forum was attended by representatives of leading international and Canadian companies, including Zijin Mining Group, B2Gold, First Quantum Minerals, Hatch, Arras Minerals, Xcalibur Smart Mapping, among others.

Speaking at “Kazakhstan Day”, Vice Minister I.Sharkhan noted that the Government of Kazakhstan places particular emphasis on improving the geological knowledge of the country’s territory. Over the next three years, approximately USD 500 million is planned to be allocated to geological exploration activities, exceeding the total state investment in geological exploration over the previous three decades. According to him, the systematic expansion of the geological exploration base and the opening of new areas for exploration will create fundamentally new conditions for attracting investment and deepening international cooperation in the mining and metallurgical sector.

Participants were also presented with an overview of key geological discoveries made in Kazakhstan in 2024-2025, as well as successful cases of joint project implementation with foreign partners.

On the same day, the head of the Kazakh delegation held a number of bilateral meetings with executives of Canadian and international mining companies interested in implementing new projects in Kazakhstan. The parties discussed issues related to expanding cooperation in the field of critical minerals, the introduction of modern exploration and extraction technologies, as well as the joint implementation of projects for processing Kazakh raw materials.

Kazakhstan’s participation in PDAC 2026 confirmed the sustained interest of international business in the country’s resource potential and demonstrated Kazakhstan’s readiness to expand partnerships with Canadian and global investors in the mining and metallurgical sector.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-ottawa/press/news/details/1172096?lang=kk