Azernews.Az

Kazakhstan needs to develop a concept of the country's Mining Code for further development of mining sector, Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov said at the expanded board of the country's Ministry of Industry and New Technologies on February 6.

"It is necessary to work out a relevant plan for the development of branches of the mining sector including the development of geological exploration, development of rare and rare-earth metals, creation of conditions for attracting investments," the prime minister said.

However, the company Kazgeologiya which was created several years ago still hasn't been given many necessary powers, according to Akhmetov.

"Therefore, it is trampled down. It is necessary to work out the issue of functional strengthening of Kazgeologiya JSC in order to bring the geological exploration to the global level," the prime minister said addressing the Minister of Industry and New Technologies, Asset Issekeshev.

"No new field of solid minerals has been discovered in the country in the last 20 years and the current fields are being exhausted," the prime minister added.

Issekeshev said that Kazakh Ministry is working out a complex plan for the support of metallurgical enterprises under the conditions of a global slump in production in the mining industry.

"Under the conditions of the global slump in the production in mining complex which has lasted more than two years, it is possible that after two years the ministry will work out a complex plan for the support to metallurgical enterprises which will help them to maintain the competitiveness of their products and jobs," the minister said.