Uzbekistan, US companies ink minerals deals

The United States has stepped up its global pursuit of strategic minerals with the signing of a deal promoting American mining investments in Uzbekistan.

The announcement comes after a Uzbek delegation was in Washington this week to meet with US business executives, according to the Central Asian country, although it did not list the interested companies or investment amounts.

“These agreements encompass investments in the exploration and extraction of minerals, including the construction of grinding machinery and training for Uzbek specialists,” the government based in the capital Tashkent said in a statement.

The deal follows a meeting Wednesday between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Uzbek counterpart Bakhtiyor Saidov. Both nations signed a memorandum of understanding in September to enhance cooperation on critical minerals.

“There’s great potential ahead for investments between our countries and cooperation in the critical minerals and other sectors,” Rubio wrote on his X account following the meeting.

Uzbekistan has been looking to tap into its vast endowment resources, including many of the critical minerals being sought after by the US. Earlier this year, the Central Asian nation launched a $2.6 billion initiative to support the development of 76 mining projects covering 28 different elements.

“The main task is to extract valuable raw materials directly from ore using modern technologies, increase the purity of minerals and create products with high added value,” Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated at the time.

The US, meanwhile, wants to establish new strategic spheres in resource-rich regions such as Central Asia to counter China’s dominance in the critical minerals space. In addition to Uzbekistan, the Trump administration has also set sights on the mineral wealth of Pakistan, and this week sent a delegation to Islamabad.

Elsewhere, the White House is in discussions with war-ravaged Ukraine and the Democratic Republic of Congo on deals that would secure key minerals for batteries, defence and modern technologies in exchange for US security.