Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  On 2 December, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed the progress of transformation programs for metallurgical enterprises and their plans for 2025.

Over the past seven years, production in the mining and metallurgy sector has increased by 1.5 times. Specifically, gold production has risen by 26 tons, silver by 77 tons, and copper by 32,000 tons compared to 2016.

In the past five years, approximately US$9.5 billion has been invested in the sector, enabling the implementation of 15 large-scale projects. This has made the mining and metallurgy industry a key driver of economic transformation, accounting for a third of the country’s total industrial output.

The sector has also stimulated growth in related industries, such as electrical engineering, construction materials production, chemicals, and jewelry, by providing them with raw materials.

The Minister of Mining and Geology and the heads of the industrial complexes presented future plans, including attracting US$1 billion in investments for mining and geological projects in 2025.

Production of kaolin is expected to increase by 50%, and coal extraction is forecasted to reach 10 million tons.

Additionally, the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Complex has placed eurobonds on the international market for the first time, raising US$1 billion. A further issuance of eurobonds worth US$500 million is planned for next year.

The President emphasized the importance of large-scale transformation of enterprises to improve their competitiveness in global markets. Among the key priorities outlined were: reducing production costs, digitization, attracting funds from international markets, introducing new technologies, and automating production processes.