Uzbekistan seeks long-term iron ore supply deal with Tajikistan

Uzbekistan plans to begin importing 700,000 tonnes of iron ore a year from Tajikistan as part of a broader strategy to strengthen the country's steel industry and secure stable supplies of raw materials.

Photo: Presidential Press Service

The initiative was announced during a meeting chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the development of Uzbekistan's ferrous metallurgy sector.

The president noted that Uzbekistan possesses substantial iron ore reserves, estimated at 1.5 billion tonnes, and instructed officials to accelerate the development of domestic deposits.

Production of iron concentrate from the Surun-Ota deposit is scheduled to begin supplying Uzmetkombinat in 2027. Under an investment agreement with Chinese partners, the project will process 650,000 tonnes of raw ore annually.

Another major project is expected to come online within the next three to four years at the Tebinbulak deposit. Once operational, it is expected to support the production of an additional 1 million tonnes of steel each year.

The government also plans to expand the involvement of major foreign investors in the metallurgy sector. According to officials, several companies have expressed interest in establishing integrated production chains covering geological exploration, mining, ore processing, and the manufacture of finished metal products.

One investor has proposed investing up to $500 million to develop an iron ore deposit in the Samarkand Region. At the same time, Uzmetkombinat has applied for the rights to develop a 32-million-tonne iron ore deposit in Farish district of Jizzakh region. Preliminary assessments also indicate the presence of iron ore reserves in Tashkent and Surkhandarya regions.

During the meeting, officials also highlighted growing demand for manganese and ferrosilicon, which are used to improve the quality of steel for major infrastructure projects. The president instructed relevant agencies to assess all promising mineral sites and prepare a program to expand reserves of iron ore and minerals used in ore beneficiation.

Alongside domestic mining projects, Uzbekistan intends to diversify its raw material supplies through imports. Mirziyoyev instructed officials to expedite the signing of an agreement with Tajikistan on the annual import of 700,000 tonnes of iron ore, with implementation set to begin next year.

In March, Uzmetkombinat and the Tajik Metallurgical Plant signed a memorandum on strategic cooperation. The agreement provides for the purchase of 300,000 tonnes of direct reduced iron from Tajikistan, with deliveries expected to begin in the third quarter of 2027.