ASTANA – In a significant leap toward transparency and innovation, Kazakhstan has made its natural resources more accessible to global investors by removing intermediaries and digitizing subsoil management. The Astana Times spoke with Vice Minister of Industry and Construction Zhannat Dubirova to learn more about the subsoil use platform and how interactive mapping unlocks the nation’s rich geological endowment for sustainable, investor-friendly growth.
Intelligent mapping and AI integration
The country launched the platform on Jan. 1, 2025, following months of reform aimed at increasing transparency and attracting foreign investment in its natural resources sector.
Vice Minister of Industry and Construction Zhannat Dubirova. Photo credit: Dubirova’s personal archieve
The fully digital platform, available at minerals.e-qazyna.kz, allows users to submit applications for exploration and production, participate in auctions and obtain online licenses. The initiative builds on extensive work that began in July 2024, including the study of international best practices, business process reengineering, and a complete overhaul of the system’s architecture and implementation model.
“The digitalization of natural resources management is aimed at solving long-standing challenges in subsoil use, especially by attracting major investors,” said Dubirova.
Since the platform’s launch, more than 500 applications have been processed. It currently provides access to 22 digitized public services and features an open database of geological information. Historical records from the 1950s to the 1980s are being scanned, digitized and converted into machine-readable formats using artificial intelligence. Some data is also presented in video report format to make it more accessible to investors.
At the heart of the platform is an interactive map that displays all sites designated for hydrocarbons and solid minerals. It includes areas available for current and future auctions and provides detailed information on users, plots and license status.
“We’re operating on a single interactive map that supports multiple ministries involved in subsoil use. Even without registering, businesses and citizens can view available plots, license holders and license issue dates. Once registered, they can access all government services, submit applications, join auctions and pay signature bonuses online,” said Dubirova.
She noted that this fully digital cycle eliminates the need for intermediaries, allowing users to interact directly with government services. State agencies also operate within the system and process applications electronically.
The interactive map displays all sites designated for hydrocarbons and solid minerals, including areas available for current and future auctions, along with detailed information on users, plots, and license status. Photo credit: minerals.e-qazyna.kz
Using layered mapping tools, the platform also accounts for restricted zones, such as defense lands, nature reserves and urban areas.
“While we do not label defense lands specifically, we block applications for those areas. Collaboration with government agencies ensures timely updates and accurate data. Government agencies with digital databases are integrated into the platform, and for those that still lack digital records, we process the data manually to maintain accuracy,” she said.
Dubirova emphasized that digitalization minimizes human error and helps reduce corruption by eliminating intermediaries.
“Kazakhstan currently has over 3,000 licenses for solid minerals and over 1,000 for common minerals. All of them require monitoring. Digitization makes it easier to track license compliance. Clear and consistent rules are now embedded in the system, offering legal certainty for investors,” she said.
Cross-sector digital expansion
Dubirova also outlined the ministry’s plans to digitize other key sectors, including industry, construction and housing and utilities.
“In the industrial sector, we are developing a national information system that will deliver 24 government services and gather data to inform industrial policy. The platform will also provide businesses with insights on trade turnover and expansion opportunities,” she said.
In construction, the ministry is working to replace outdated Soviet-era design formats with Building Information Modeling, aligning with international practices.
To improve living standards, the ministry is also scaling a unified utility billing system. The project aims to enable residents to pay for all utility services through second-tier banks and mobile apps. Payment data will be consolidated in a central housing and utilities platform to support data-driven policymaking.
“The overarching goal across these initiatives is to improve the business environment, streamline interactions with government and enhance the quality of life for citizens nationwide,” said Dubirova.
