Mining industry and geology at the present stage of development

Uzbekistan has made significant progress in carrying out the most important transformations in all sectors of the economy. In a Message to the Oliy Majlis and the people of Uzbekistan on December 20, 2022, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stressed: as a result of large-scale and effective reforms, the country's gross domestic product exceeded $80 billion for the first time. Eight billion dollars of foreign direct investment were attracted to our economy, and exports reached 19 billion dollars. Every day new directions and industries appear in the country's economy. 
As the welfare of the population increases, so do its needs. In order to bring the country to a new stage of development, it is necessary to change the management system, legislation, and our society.
Today, the main priorities of the state are the initiation and implementation of measures aimed at sustainable economic development and service to compatriots, the organization of new industries based on local raw materials, the creation of jobs and improvement of working conditions, as well as the training of qualified modern-minded personnel. 
In accordance with the Presidential Decree "On measures to implement administrative reforms of the New Uzbekistan" dated December 21, 2022, the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Geology and Mineral Resources was transformed into the Ministry of Mining and Geology of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
In the coming years, the main objectives of the Ministry are: development of a mining sector policy and improvement of the regulatory framework, sustainable development and reproduction of the mineral resource base, technological modernization of the industry, creation of new production facilities with the production of demanded types of products based on mineral raw materials and the development of a value-added product chain, as well as the integration of education, science and innovation solutions based on a single system. 
The activities of the new department are organized on modern approaches, taking into account the balanced development of raw materials and the use of mineral resources, including by organizing the effective operation of large mining enterprises - the locomotives of our economy, as well as further promotion of subsoil use and the production of "green" products by entrepreneurs and investors, for the benefit of the development of the country and the growth of the welfare of the people.
Along with this, one of the main achievements is the preparation of a modern regulatory framework that meets the requirements of the best world practice, in particular the new Law "On Subsoil". The document was developed jointly with international consultants and a group of experts of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on the basis of the principles of openness and transparency of subsoil use, taking into account environmental protection and comprehensive improvement of the investment climate, with the introduction of a competitive tax policy in the mining and geological industry, which is of strategic importance for Uzbekistan. 
This legislative act, having outlined priorities for the reproduction of the mineral resource base and ensuring the effective use of subsurface resources, also clearly defines the competence of the state and regulatory authorities, simplifies licensing procedures, and accordingly fixes the fulfillment of the obligations of the parties in the use of subsurface resources.
For the first time, the law establishes minimum investment requirements for geological work and mining; the transition to a block system for providing investment areas on the principle of "first come, first received"; a consistent transition to a system for calculating reserves based on the international classification of reserves, including the JORC Code; modern environmental standards with obligations to eliminate the consequences of work and environmental protection.
The structure of the industry is also changing with the effective distribution of functions for the study of subsurface resources by the geological service, starting with regional, prospecting and geophysical work, moving on to later stages of exploration with the calculation of reserves and technical and economic evaluation of projects.
A separate body within the Ministry is assigned to create a digital fund of geological information, maintain the state balance of mineral reserves and the cadastre of deposits, issue permits for the use of subsoil.  The issues of monitoring and safe subsoil use will be handled by a special inspection for the control of mining, geological and industrial safety.
In addition to carrying out geological exploration of the subsurface, the Ministry will also oversee the work of mining, metallurgical and coal enterprises: SE "Navoiuran", JSC "Navoi MMC", JSC "Almalyk MMC, JSC "Uzmetkombinat", JSC "Uzbekkumir" and other structures.
As part of the "green" agenda, at the initiative of the President, the Yangi Kon company was created, which will promote technological projects on lithium, aluminum, magnesium, as well as graphite, rare metals and hydrocarbon raw materials in the deposits of deep horizons.
The Ministry of Mining and Geology will also deal with the issues of increasing resources and efficient use of groundwater. A special Situational Center is being created for constant monitoring of the state of underground water resources and georisks. Regulations on permits for drilling wells and special water use are regulated.
The current Day of workers in the field of geology of the Republic of Uzbekistan (celebrated on the first Sunday of April) is met by industry specialists as part of the newly formed ministry. This is an opportunity to improve and streamline the activities of structural units, achieve results that will make a significant contribution to the economy of the republic.  In 2023, over $ 100 million will be allocated from the State Budget as part of the State Exploration Program for the implementation of more than 300 geological projects.
It is planned to drill about two million linear meters of wells, perform 7,6 thousand cubic meters of underground and 360 thousand cubic meters of surface mining. It is planned to carry out aerogeophysical works on an area of 2350 sq. km, 2D seismic surveys - on 9100 sq. km and 3D - on 2150 sq. km of territory.
20 new promising structures will be prepared for prospecting drilling for hydrocarbon raw materials.
As a result, an increase in resources is expected: gold - 172 tons, silver - 380, uranium - 6 thousand, copper - 350 thousand, lead - 51 thousand, zinc - 50 thousand, tungsten - 8.4 thousand, groundwater - 150 thousand cubic meters per day, coal - 5 million tons and many other types of non-metallic raw materials.
At the same time, within the framework of the administrative reform in the structure of the Ministry, special attention is paid to the creation of a unified system of education and advanced training. Thus, in order to train young specialists, the activities of the established campus of the University of Geological Sciences are developing on the basis of a cluster approach (education, science and practice).
In particular, in the 2022/2023 academic year, 1110 students entered the University of Geological Sciences. Curricula have been approved to ensure the integration of education, science and practice according to the credit-modular system. The share of practical classes reaches 70 percent: these are laboratory, field training and industrial practices.
In order to train middle-level personnel in geological specialties in the 2022/2023 academic year, dual training of 174 specialists was organized at Zarafshan and Guzar technical schools, Almalyk and Bukhara colleges.
Field training is conducted at the ranges of Oxokota in the Tashkent region and Darband - in Surkhandarya. The production practice is organized at the enterprises of JSC "Navoi MMC", "Almalyk MMC", JSC "Uzbekneftegaz", JSC "Uzbekgeologorazvedka", JSC "Uzbekgeofizika", SUE "Uzbekhydrogeology".
Consistent work is also being carried out on the development of international relations and the promotion of investment projects. At the same time, it is taken into account that the mining sector of Uzbekistan is of decisive importance for the economy and has the potential to implement large-scale mining projects that can be offered to investors. 
For example, in 2022, in order to develop capacities for the production of finished products with high added value on the basis of the mining and metallurgical industry and on the basis of international best practices, the development of related industries and increase investment attractiveness, a Cluster of the copper industry was created. This production, aimed at creating multi-level value chains "from raw materials to finished products", is organized in accordance with the Presidential Decree "On additional measures for the development of the mining and metallurgical industry and related industries" dated June 24, 2021.
The accelerated exploration program for the next five years will provide the Copper Industry Cluster with stable raw materials. It is planned to increase the reserves of gold by 730 tons, copper - 1.5 million.
To implement these tasks, a project is being implemented to develop the Kalmakyr and Yeshlik-1 copper deposits by a single quarry with an increase in the production capacity of Almalyk MMC JSC to produce copper
three times (from the current 150 thousand to 450 thousand tons per year).
According to the project of high-tech metals, a feasibility study for the development of the Shavazsai lithium deposit has been prepared. Since 2022, additional geological exploration has been carried out at the field to assess the reserves of the field according to international JORC standards. The work was carried out with the involvement of the SRK Consulting consulting company.
As part of the Investment Program for 2023, projects worth more than $ 3.5 billion are being implemented. Among the investment partners, cooperation with the Canadian company B2Gold and Turkish - MTA and Calik Holding (gold), the Japanese corporation JOGMEC and the French company Orano Mining (uranium) can be noted. 
The new Uzbekistan aspires to high frontiers. Specialists in the field of geology are also ready to apply best practices and innovations, develop modern domestic technologies based on international best practices, and contribute to the development of the state with high-tech areas of the economy.