Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — An international roundtable on modern geology, including policy, technology, regional research and human capital, was held in Tashkent on 13 September as part of GEOMIN-2026 events. Representatives of geological services, research organizations and relevant government agencies from several countries took part in the discussions.
The event was opened by Feruza Khamidova, First Deputy Minister of Mining Industry and Geology of Uzbekistan. Specialists from Uzbekistan, France, Finland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Türkiye, the United States and other countries participated, along with representatives of international professional organizations.
One of the central topics was the digital transformation of the geological sector. Participants examined the potential use of artificial intelligence to process geological, geophysical and geochemical information, combine different research methods, build three-dimensional models and create digital twins.
Feruza Khamidova presented Uzbekistan's ongoing work to digitize accumulated geological materials and integrate them into the National Geological Data Database.
Particular attention was paid to data standardization and interoperability, the introduction of modern digital tools, and the use of artificial intelligence technologies in geological exploration.
A separate discussion focused on critical minerals, as well as improving resource classification and reporting standards.
Participants also discussed expanding international investment cooperation and the role of national geological services in improving access to geological information and attracting new projects.
Another area of discussion was human capital development. Industry representatives considered the training of young specialists, international education and research programs, and the integration of geoinformatics, data analysis and three-dimensional modeling into educational curricula.
Following the roundtable, the parties identified promising areas for further cooperation between geological services and research organizations.
