TMK integrates mining and processing to strengthen critical minerals supply chains
Uzbekistan is moving to secure a place in global critical metals supply chains, and Uzbekistan Technological Metals Complex JSC (TMK) has been created as a State-Owned Enterprise to drive that ambition. The company is developing a vertically integrated platform that brings together exploration, processing and international partnerships. This approach is intended to ensure that Uzbekistan’s mineral wealth contributes to industrial capability, high-value production and international engagement.
Uzbekistan’s mining moment
Uzbekistan is emerging as a significant mining jurisdiction in Central Asia, supported by a diverse geological base and a growing focus on extracting value from its mineral resources. The country hosts deposits of metals that are now considered critical to modern industry and the global energy transition, including tungsten, molybdenum, lithium, graphite, germanium and rare earth elements. Selenium, tellurium and other specialty metals are also part of the country’s strategic portfolio.
Recent reforms have emphasised regulatory clarity, infrastructure investment and international engagement. Mining is increasingly seen not only as a source of export revenue, but as a foundation for industrial development, technological capability and long-term economic resilience.
This strategic shift from raw material extraction towards processing and value creation has shaped the mandate of TMK, which was established in 2024 on the initiative of the president of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, as a national company focused on developing Uzbekistan’s technological and critical metals sector.
TMK’s mission is to build a sustainable ‘Metals of the Future’ ecosystem through an integrated ‘mine-metal-market’ value chain. The company aims to expand high value-added products, establish traceable critical raw materials supply chains, attract long-term international partners, and support Uzbekistan’s economic diversification and global industrial engagement.
TMK: a national engine
TMK plays a central role in the country’s mining strategy. It manages a broad portfolio of assets and projects spanning exploration, mining and processing across more than 25 strategic minerals. The company oversees development in excess of 100 assets and research initiatives, reflecting both the scale of Uzbekistan’s resource base and the scope of its industrial ambitions.
Its approach centres on vertical integration, with the objective of retaining greater value within Uzbekistan while complying with international technical, environmental and governance standards. By building capability across multiple stages of the metals value chain, including refining and downstream processing, TMK aims to strengthen domestic industrial capacity and reduce reliance on the export of unprocessed materials.
TMK’s contributions extend beyond a single commodity. Its diversified metals base allows the company to respond to demand trends across multiple critical materials, supporting Uzbekistan’s goal of building sustainable industrial sectors and new employment opportunities. Meanwhile, the company’s status as a central operator allows it to optimise coordination of exploration, production and technology initiatives across the country.
Strategic metals and global supply chains
The metals that TMK is developing are central to global industrial and technological demand. Tungsten and molybdenum have long histories of use in high-temperature applications, industrial tooling and defence technologies, while lithium, graphite and rare earth elements are core components of batteries, advanced electronics and renewable energy infrastructure.
Uzbekistan is focused on becoming a reliable supplier of these materials. At September 2025’s Growth Partner Uzbekistan forum in Frankfurt, for example, TMK outlined its value chain model to international industry participants. The integrated framework was described by the company as linking “deposit, metal and market” through coordinated exploration, processing and production.
The company has also outlined plans for a Future Metals Technopark, an innovative industrial zone designed to combine science, production and investment in deep processing and high-value manufacturing. Intended to create jobs and attract international investment, the envisioned Technopark is set to provide a platform for cooperation in advanced manufacturing and supply chain development.
Research and development constitute a central component of TMK’s strategy. In cooperation with international research institutions, including the SOLVOMET R&I Centre and KU Leuven, the company aims to leverage advanced hydrometallurgical technologies to improve extraction and processing of complex elements. Such collaborations are seen as important steps towards enhancing processing efficiency, increasing recovery rates and enabling higher value-added outputs from Uzbekistan’s resource base.
Partnerships and international integration
International collaboration is central to TMK’s strategy for developing Uzbekistan’s critical metals sector. In July 2025, Uzbekistan joined the European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA), a platform that promotes stable supplies of critical metals to European industry. Membership provides TMK with access to research networks, grants and opportunities to align its capabilities with European supply chain standards.
Beyond ERMA, TMK engages with industry bodies, research partners and commercial collaborators worldwide to broaden expertise, support technology transfer and explore new markets. Participation in international initiatives allows the company to integrate global best practices in sustainability, governance and advanced processing, reinforcing its ability to build long-term commercial relationships.
TMK’s outward-looking approach is also evident in its presence at high-profile industry events such as the PDAC convention, where it is afforded the opportunity to present its portfolio to the global mining investment community. At the 2026 PDAC convention, TMK is organising a half day on March 15 solely focused on the company’s current and future activities. These activities collectively strengthen TMK’s international integration and enhance its capacity to develop a globally connected, value-added critical metals sector in Uzbekistan.
Industry growth and investor opportunity
Demand for critical and technological metals is expected to continue rising as global economies invest in electrification, digital infrastructure and energy transition technologies. Uzbekistan’s resource base, combined with TMK’s vertically integrated operations, positions the country as an emerging supplier of key materials.
TMK’s projects offer international investors a clear point of entry into the country’s mining and processing sector, covering upstream exploration, midstream processing and downstream value-added production. The company is also developing research collaborations and innovative industrial initiatives to enhance efficiency and product quality.
Through these efforts, TMK aims to translate Uzbekistan’s mineral resources into integrated industrial operations and foster international partnerships, supporting the country’s growing role in global critical metals supply chains.
HEAD OFFICE
TMK (Uzbekistan Technological Metals Complex)
1, Vohid Khaydarov Str
Chirchik city, Tashkent regionUzbekistan
111709
Tel: +998 70 202-10-10
Email: info@uztmk.uz
Web: https://uztmk.uz/
