The first meeting of the Kyrgyz Mining Club was held in Bishkek

published: 24 January 2022

At the initiative of Kumtor Gold Company CJSC (KGC) and the Kyrgyz Society of Subsoil Experts (KSSE), there was established the Kyrgyz Mining Club. This is a platform for organizing informal communication for industry experts, where various forms and formats will be used to analyse the state of subsoil use in the Kyrgyz Republic.

On January 21, 2022, the first meeting of the Kyrgyz Mining Club was held at the Orion Hotel. Due to restrictions related to compliance with necessary sanitary and epidemiological surveillance, 70 participants have gathered in person, but through broadcasting using the Geowebinar platform 500 participants have participated in the meeting not only from Kyrgyzstan, but also from Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Canada, Australia and other countries. More than 100 representatives of mining companies, mining associations, government agencies, educational and scientific organisations have attended the event.

Ishimbay Chunuev, President of the Kyrgyz Society of Subsoil Experts, has opened the forum. In his speech, he told of the relevance and importance of joining efforts of mining experts and specialists to further develop the mining industry. It was noted that the Mining Club is established to provide independent expert and analytical studies in the field of geology, mining, and subsoil use, to visualize a holistic view of development priorities with respect to mining sector in Kyrgyzstan, and to formulate immediate and long-term development strategies.

The whole set of issues raised requires a binding legal and regulatory framework; only a comprehensive Mining Code of the Kyrgyz Republic can provide it, and it will include subsoil use issues that are inextricably linked to fiscalisation, industrial safety, environmental protection, and cooperation between subsoil users and local communities.

Future activities of the Mining Club of Kyrgyzstan will also involve the cataloging of analytical papers on geology and mining in the Kyrgyz Republic, EEU and worldwide. The intention is to identify the processes and trends occurring and affecting subsoil use in general, and mainly the formation of the resource base of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The Mining Club will meet on a regular basis on the online Geowebinar platform at least once a month as the issues to be addressed accumulate. All club meeting materials are available to view and listen to on this resource at any time.