A delegation from D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University held a series of working meetings with leading Finnish research organizations — VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK). A member of the Management Board of Ulba Metallurgical Plant JSC (UMP) also took part in the delegation’s work, which made it possible to combine scientific and industrial expertise in discussing prospects for Kazakh-Finnish cooperation.
The negotiations focused on developing joint research in the fields of geology, processing of mineral and technogenic raw materials, remote sensing, advanced analytical methods, and the scaling-up of promising technological solutions.
The working visit continued the international activities of EKTU aimed at integrating Kazakhstani science into the European research area and strengthening cooperation between science and the real sector of the economy.
One of the areas of cooperation with Finnish partners is the Horizon Europe TiBeRIUM project (Project 101293474), which explores advanced approaches to remote sensing and monitoring of mining and industrial areas.
East Kazakhstan has significant scientific and industrial potential for conducting such research. The region is characterized by a high concentration of mining and metallurgical facilities, as well as historically accumulated technogenic mineral formations. This creates opportunities to test modern remote monitoring methods, analyze changes in territories, and assess the condition of facilities within the mining and metallurgical sector.
During the negotiations, representatives of EKTU, UMP, and Finnish research organizations discussed opportunities to combine expertise in geology, geochemistry, Earth remote sensing, mineral raw materials research, and the development of technologies for their processing. The participation of a representative of a major industrial enterprise made it possible to consider the proposed scientific solutions from the perspective of their practical relevance and prospects for further implementation.
Critical Raw Materials — One of the Key Areas of Cooperation
Particular attention was paid to research on critical raw materials, including rare and rare-earth metals, whose demand is increasing amid the development of high-tech industries, energy, digital technologies, and the global transition to a low-carbon economy.
Kazakhstan has a significant mineral resource base, a developed mining and metallurgical complex, and many years of scientific expertise in geology, mining, mineral processing, and metallurgy. Finland, in turn, has advanced research infrastructure and extensive experience in the comprehensive study of mineral resources — from fundamental geological and geochemical research to testing technological processes at the pilot scale.
Combining the scientific capabilities of universities and research organizations with the industrial expertise of enterprises creates favorable conditions for developing projects focused not only on obtaining new scientific results but also on their subsequent technological application.
Secondary Raw Materials and Technogenic Mineral Formations
One of the central topics of the negotiations was the processing of tailings, metallurgical slags, and other technogenic mineral formations.
Waste accumulated in mining and metallurgical regions is now viewed not only as an environmental challenge but also as a potential source of valuable and critical raw materials. Components whose extraction was previously economically unfeasible or technologically challenging are acquiring significantly greater strategic importance under current conditions.
The Kazakh side highlighted the strong interest of industry in developing economically viable technologies for processing such raw materials. The participation of a UMP representative made it possible to discuss in practical terms the requirements of the industrial sector for promising technologies and the transition from scientific research to solutions with potential for practical application.
A promising area of cooperation identified during the meetings is the comprehensive study of technogenic raw materials, including analysis of their mineral and chemical composition, assessment of valuable component content, development of technological flowsheets for their extraction, and subsequent testing of the solutions developed.
Advanced Geochemical and Isotopic Analysis Methods
During the working meetings, the Kazakh delegation became closely acquainted with the research infrastructure of its Finnish partners.
The capabilities for high-precision geochemical and isotopic research were of particular interest. GTK laboratories use, among other techniques, multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS), which enables highly accurate measurements of isotope ratios.
Such methods make it possible to determine the origin of mineral matter, reconstruct ore-forming processes, and identify the sources of individual components. During the professional discussions, the parties also considered the potential for studying sulfur isotope composition to determine the origin of sulfide minerals.
The parties also compared the capabilities of their existing laboratory equipment and research expertise, which is important for identifying areas for joint research and ensuring the effective use of the partners’ scientific infrastructure.
From Laboratory Research to Industrial Application
An important part of the professional dialogue was familiarization with GTK’s capabilities in experimental mineral raw material processing.
The research infrastructure makes it possible to carry out a sequence of technological operations, including sample preparation, crushing, grinding, homogenization, and separation of mineral material. Pilot-scale infrastructure provides an opportunity to move from laboratory-level research to testing larger volumes of raw materials.
This approach is of fundamental importance for the practical implementation of scientific developments. A technology that demonstrates effectiveness under laboratory conditions must undergo gradual scale-up and validation before potential industrial implementation.
Therefore, the participation of both scientific and industrial representatives in the negotiations made it possible to consider potential joint projects within the framework of a complete technological cycle — from studying the composition of raw materials and developing technologies to pilot testing and assessing the prospects for industrial application.
Science and Industry in International Cooperation
Following the negotiations, the parties identified prospects for cooperation in the research of critical raw materials, processing of primary and technogenic raw materials, geochemical and isotopic studies, remote sensing of mining and industrial areas, as well as laboratory and pilot testing of new technological solutions.
Particular attention was paid to opportunities for preparing joint research projects and international applications, exchanging research expertise, and establishing sustainable links between scientific organizations and industrial enterprises in Kazakhstan and Finland.
The cooperation between EKTU, representatives of Kazakhstani industry, VTT, and GTK is shaping a model of international cooperation in which scientific research is initially focused on addressing specific technological challenges.
The working meetings in Finland laid the groundwork for further development of joint research and projects aimed at studying and developing critical raw materials, implementing advanced technologies for processing primary and technogenic materials, strengthening the connection between science and industry, and enhancing the international competitiveness of Kazakhstan’s mining and metallurgical complex.
