The geology industry of the Kyrgyz Republic contribute up to to 10% of GDP, over half of industrial output, and nearly 40% of export earnings (KEITI Reports 2023-2024). Nearly 10% of the formal workforce is engaged in minerals mining and quarrying (including a small amount of oil extraction). The Kumtor Gold mine alone contributed 9.7% of GDP but is mature and likely to close soon. Much of the earlier mining and mineral processing sector struggled after Independence to compete and was either shut down or continues to operate in need of re-capitalization. New prospects for mining have been slow to come to fruition and there has been a notable incidence of community-level resistance to mining. President Sadyr Japarov directed that a new mining code should be developed which would secure a fairer sharing of benefits and provide a stronger role for state enterprises.

Critical raw materials is core for the sustainable energy, mobility and digital transitions. Several hitherto neglected critical raw materials will be required in vast quantities to support the transitions. Progress towards a circular economy, transparency and a new social contract on natural resources are some of the requirements that are well recognized by all stakeholders – the governments, industry, financial community, and the civil society. Even though there is a broad agreement of the directions of the integration and development, a diverse set of standards, guidelines, and best practices exist at national, regional, and global levels. They often create barriers for the progress, which is seen as the 92 per cent circularity gap, falling productivity, lack of connectivity to the food-water-energy nexus and misaligned stakeholder communications, to name a few. Integrated policies, harmonized regulations, new business models, smart financing options and effective social communications are required to close some identified gaps.

The role of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) in supporting the economic resiliency and the move to new business models such as “energy and resources as a service” needs careful consideration.

The Kyrgyz Republic has significant potential for many types of mineral raw materials. For the almost 80-year history of geological research (since the formation of the Kyrgyz Geological Administration in 1938), about 20 thousand deposits and ore occurrences of more than 150 kinds of various mineral resources have been identified by geologists on its territory. The mining industry in the country has always been one of the leading industries.
It was adopted the Law of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic #5 of 22 January 2024 "About National Project of Rare Earth Development For Dynamic Development of the Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic".