Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — On 6 November, the Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology and its subordinate state institution, the Subsoil Use Centre, held a press conference in Tashkent on reforms in subsoil use, permitting procedures, transparency in auctions, access to geological information and the digitalisation of public services.
The event was attended by Bakhodir Rakhimov, head of the ministry’s Department for Mining and Geological Control and Non-Metallic Raw Materials, the Centre’s deputy directors Feruz Badalov and Jurabek Azimov, Centre staff, media representatives and entrepreneurs.
Permits and auctions
In January–October 2026, the Centre issued 432 permits for the use of subsoil areas. Of these, 233 covered sites containing non-metallic minerals, including 101 permits for extraction and 132 for geological exploration. Another 149 permits were issued for sites containing strategic mineral raw materials, including 81 for extraction and 68 for geological exploration. A further 50 permits for artisanal mining of precious metals were issued following electronic auctions.
To attract entrepreneurs, the Centre prepared promotional materials and presentations for 303 sites put up for online auctions. Of these, 291 involved non-metallic raw materials, nine concerned artisanal gold mining and three covered major mineral resources.
A total of 169 sites were sold for 446 billion soums. As part of monitoring compliance with permit conditions through the Risk Analysis system, 1,859 warning letters were sent.
Geological project assessments
The Centre prepared 331 expert opinions: 166 on preliminary feasibility calculations, including 34 for strategic raw materials and 132 for non-metallic minerals, and 165 on feasibility studies for projects involving non-metallic minerals.
The authority to conduct these assessments was transferred to the Centre under Presidential Resolution No. PP-104. Entrepreneurs were also provided with advisory support in preparing their projects. In addition, 82 opinions were issued on design and cost-estimate documentation.
State Subsoil Fund Cadastre
Under Presidential Decree No. UP-178 of 27 July 2022 and Cabinet of Ministers resolutions, land plots covering a total of 42,000 hectares and containing mineral deposits were reclassified as industrial land and transferred to the Centre for permanent use.
Information on 2,427 deposits and prospective areas was integrated into the Unified State Cadastre System. A total of 158 cadastral passports were prepared, and 20,000 opinions were issued on land-use matters.
Geological data and standards
As part of state registration under the 3-GR system, 65 projects were registered and 252 geological reports were accepted. Of these, 73 were prepared using budget funding and 179 were submitted by entrepreneurs.
The Centre prepared 1,036 sets of vector data and 130 local databases, and provided 1,908 services for supplying reports and data, including 166 to entrepreneurs. In addition, 84 international and foreign standards were translated into the state language and submitted to the Institute of Standards.
Services and digitalisation
The Front Office system provided assistance to 169 entrepreneurs, while the call centre, operating under the number 1356, handled 743 enquiries. The Centre also held seven off-site reception sessions.
In the Geomonitoring information system, identification numbers were generated for 25 permits covering strategic raw materials, information on 278 permits for non-metallic minerals was entered, and 125 deposits underwent a new inventory.
The Mining and Geological Services module is being introduced in stages. Permits for extracting strategic and non-metallic minerals, as well as for artisanal gold mining following auctions, are already being issued through licenses.uz, a platform integrated with the system.
At the end of the press conference, Centre specialists answered questions from journalists and entrepreneurs.
The Centre’s priorities remain the rational use of subsoil resources, improved monitoring of compliance with permit conditions, higher-quality public services, development of the geological data system and the introduction of digital technologies.
