US and Central Asia discuss expanding cooperation in critical minerals

At the C5+1 format meetings in Samarkand with the participation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, diversification of critical mineral supplies and investment and technological cooperation were discussed. Uzbekistan has tungsten, molybdenum, lithium, graphite and germanium, as well as a portfolio of more than 100 projects. The Technological Metals Combine is negotiating with the American corporation DFC on financing projects worth $4.2 billion and with a number of other companies.

Javlon TursunovFirst published on tafs uz 20 October 2026 at 18:422 min read

The key facts

At the C5+1 meetings in Samarkand with the participation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, diversification of critical mineral supplies and expansion of investment and technological cooperation were discussed.
Uzbekistan possesses reserves of tungsten, molybdenum, lithium, graphite and germanium and a portfolio of more than 100 projects in this field.
The Technological Metals Combine (TMK) is considering with the DFC corporation financing of projects worth $4.2 billion, with Metallica Commodities — 5 projects worth $1.027 billion, and with Vast Resources — 6 projects worth $29.4 million.

Negotiations in Samarkand

At the C5+1 format meetings held in Samarkand with the participation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, issues of diversifying critical mineral supplies, as well as expanding investment and technological cooperation, took an important place. According to Kun.uz, for Uzbekistan these contacts matter for the development of deep processing of mineral resources and expanding the country's participation in international industrial chains.

Uzbekistan's potential

Uzbekistan possesses such important mineral resources as tungsten, molybdenum, lithium, graphite and germanium, as well as a portfolio covering more than 100 projects in this direction. Reforms carried out under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev are aimed at reorienting this potential toward the production of high value-added products. Priority tasks include attracting foreign investment and modern technologies, as well as expanding local processing capacity.

Specific projects

The Uzbek Technological Metals Combine (TMK) is conducting practical negotiations with international companies and financial institutions. In particular, with the American corporation DFC, possibilities of financing investment projects with a total value of $4 billion 200 million are being considered. With Metallica Commodities, the joint implementation of 5 projects worth $1 billion 27 million is being discussed, and with Vast Resources, cooperation on 6 projects worth $29 million 400 thousand is being studied. Within the framework of the Samarkand C5+1 meetings, TMK included cooperation issues with more than 25 foreign companies and organizations on the agenda.

Processing of industrial waste

One of the discussed directions was the extraction of valuable minerals and metals from industrial waste. This approach involves returning useful components contained in waste back into economic circulation.