Over 70% of promising fields of solid minerals in Uzbekistan are currently not being developed. To this end a draft Presidential decree, published on the portal for discussion, is aimed at attracting foreign investment for exploration and development of fields of strategic minerals.
"Currently, out of 435 known promising subsoil areas, 380 (87%) are not covered by the medium-term and long-term programs of development and building of mineral resources base, and 120 (71%) solid minerals fields are not being developed", - it said in the document.
Since 2009, foreign investment have been utilized for exploration of only 10 promising areas and development of two fields of the total proposed 38 promising areas and 159 investment blocks. Only initial or check exploration have been conducted on these projects without industrial development of fields, it said in the draft.
According to the document it is planned to make a list of strategically important types of solid mineral deposits, for the promising areas and fields of which foreign investment shall are attracted for creation of production lines.
