Where does Kazakhstan export non-ferrous metals

The largest item by value is copper: 278,600 tonnes of refined copper and unwrought alloys worth $3.4 billion. The data is reported by LS, citing the State Revenue Committee and the Bureau of National Statistics.

The gist in brief

• Exports of copper (278,600 tonnes, +10%), lead (45,400 tonnes, +14.8%) and tantalum (80.7 tonnes, +46.2%) are growing.
• Exports of zinc (113,700 tonnes, -10.4%), aluminium (130,000 tonnes, -6.7%) and titanium (5,300 tonnes, -25.6%) are falling.
• The main buyer of copper is Turkey (159,800 tonnes), China cut purchases by 26.8%, and Thailand became a new buyer.
• Tantalum goes mainly to the US (62.9 tonnes) and Japan (10.5 tonnes).

Copper

Copper is the main item: $3.4 billion over seven months. Turkey bought 159,800 tonnes worth $1.98 billion, 1.5 times more than a year earlier. China received 94,400 tonnes worth $1.1 billion, 26.8% less. The UK bought 15,900 tonnes (+18.9%), the UAE - 3,200 tonnes, 144.3 times more. Among new buyers are Thailand (3,100 tonnes), Italy (1,300 tonnes), Azerbaijan (234.6 tonnes) and Malaysia (99.3 tonnes). Poland increased purchases 1.7 times, to 308.8 tonnes.

Lead and zinc

45,400 tonnes of lead were exported for $80.9 million: 23,900 tonnes (worth $42.8 million) went to China and 20,900 tonnes (worth $37.1 million) to Vietnam, where purchases fell by 6.9%. Zinc exports amounted to 113,700 tonnes worth $359.1 million. Supplies to China halved, to 49,400 tonnes, while those to Russia grew 2.7 times, to 32,900 tonnes, and to Turkey by 19.2%, to 21,900 tonnes. Belarus became a new buyer of zinc (555.6 tonnes).

Aluminium and titanium

130,000 tonnes of aluminium were exported for $360.4 million. Turkey bought the most - 51,500 tonnes, 3.5 times more. Italy received 27,900 tonnes, China - 12,500 tonnes (2.3 times more), Poland - 11,600 tonnes, Uzbekistan - 10,200 tonnes, Russia - 8,800 tonnes (12.3 times more), Japan - 3,200 tonnes (+27.4%). Titanium exports amounted to 5,300 tonnes worth $59.2 million. Belgium bought 1,800 tonnes, South Korea - 1,100 tonnes, France - 864.2 tonnes, the US - 810 tonnes (+17.4%).

Tantalum

80.7 tonnes of tantalum and articles thereof were exported for $30.9 million. The US bought 62.9 tonnes, 1.8 times more. Japan received 10.5 tonnes (-16.6%), Austria - 3.2 tonnes, Russia - 2 tonnes, half as much, and France - 1.2 tonnes, twice as much.

What this means for Kazakhstan

Copper remains the backbone of metal exports, and the authorities want more raw material to be processed domestically. They are preparing an export duty on copper concentrate so that Kazakhmys receives raw material within the country, and in Balkhash, as LS notes, construction of a new copper smelter will begin. The data above refer to refined copper and unwrought alloys, not concentrate. Reserves are also growing: in 2024-2025, the increase in copper amounted to 122,700 tonnes, but registration is not the same as extraction. Smaller producers can also increase supply, for example the British Central Asia Metals, which extracts copper from the Konrat tailings, with an annual plan of 12-13 thousand tonnes.

Author's conclusion

The structure of exports is shifting: copper, lead and tantalum are growing, while zinc, aluminium and titanium are losing volume, and China is buying noticeably less copper and zinc. Buyers are changing faster than volumes: Turkey is moving into first place, while new countries are still buying only a few thousand tonnes. It is worth watching the year-end results and whether the future duty will affect the structure of exports.