00:01Europe is looking for alternative suppliers of critical minerals used in electric vehicles, renewable energy and advanced technologies at the
00:11International Mining and Metals Forum in Tashkent.
00:14Discussions focused on investment in Central Asia, where countries are seeking to develop their own mineral processing industries alongside exports.
00:23Brussels expects not just agreements, it expects development of clear investment partnerships with countries like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan in the broader
00:35sense.
00:36Germany is among the European countries seeking to diversify supplies for its industries.
00:42In Germany we need a lot of critical minerals because we invest in renewable energies, we invest in electric cars,
00:50we invest in high technology.
00:51In Kazakhstan, German company HMS Bergbau is exploring lithium deposits.
00:57The project could attract up to $500 million in investment if commercially viable reserves are confirmed.
01:04Uzbekistan's technological metals complex is also seeking foreign investment and technology to expand domestic production of higher-value materials.
01:14The main mandate of the Uzbekistan technological metals complex is to extract the minerals from ores, refine and process and
01:24make high-value added products.
01:26The company already exports processed mineral products to European markets.
01:31Shipment records from August show molybdenum products sent to Belgium and the Netherlands and tungsten oxide to the Netherlands.
