INTRODUCTION TO UZBEKISTAN STATE COMMITTEE OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN ON GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES INTRODUCTION TO UZBEKISTAN by AZAM KADIRHODJAEV BOBUR ISLAMOV

Location of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Republic of Uzbekistan Official Name: The Republic of Uzbekistan Location: Middle of Central Asia Area: 447,400 km2 Population: 26,700,000 [est. 2007] Main Exports: Cotton, gold, uranium, natural gas, agricultural products Borders: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afganistan, Turkmenistan The world’s 6th larger producer and 2nd larger exporter of cotton; The world’s 5th on gold resources and 8th on gold production; The world’s 7th on uranium resources and 11th on uranium production; Significant producer of natural gas, coal, copper, zinc, oil, silver, phosphorites and etc.

Value of explored reserves of the Republic of Uzbekistan (% of total)

Mineral base of the Republic of Uzbekistan Revealed deposits, ore manifestation and prospect areas for a period of 1926-2007 3100 Out of them explored (including) 1489 HYDROCARBON RAW MATERIAL 197 COAL 5 PRECIOUS METALS 50 NONFERROUS AND RARE METALS 19 RADIOACTIVE RAW MATERIAL 23 FERROUS METALS 6 INDUSTRIAL MINERALS 37 MINING CHEMICAL RAW MATERIAL 22 GEM STONE RAW MATERIAL 30 CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS 530 FRESH AND MINERAL UNDERGROUND WATER 570

of raw material reserve deposits for construction materials Scheme of raw material reserve deposits for construction materials

Scheme of location of areas of combustible shale development and manifestation in Uzbekistan and contiguous territories I. Syrdarinsky fossil fuels basin II. Amudarinsky fossil fuels basin III. The Vostochnaya Karakata prospect area

Rare metals locations

State Regulation of Mining Relationships The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, local agencies of state power, as well as specially authorized state agencies execute state management in the sphere of mining relations. Specially authorized state agencies in the sphere of mining relations are: The State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Nature Protection The State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Geology and Mineral Resources The Agency for Supervision over Safe Execution of Work in Industry and Mining Supervision.

Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On depths” (December 13, 2002 No Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On depths” (December 13, 2002 No. 444-II ) All depths are regarded to be property of the Republic of Uzbekistan Minerals mined in keeping with the established legal procedures, may be in the ownership of the state, legal and natural entities Industrial development of mineral deposits may start only after approval of their reserves by the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Geology and Mineral Resources Basis for getting the right of subsoil site use is the license which is issued by the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Geology and Mineral Resources Depths may be allotted for fixed-term (temporary) and permanent use. Term of use of depths is calculated from the date of state registration of the right to use areas of depths.

Contacts State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Geology and Mineral Resources Mr. Azam Kadirhodjaev, Specialist on foreign economic relations Mr. Bobur Islamov, leading geologist Address: 11 T.Shevchenko street, Tashkent, 100060, Uzbekistan Tel: +998 71 256-86-53 Fax:+998 71 256-22-75 Web: www.uzgeolcom.uz Email: azamhodja@rambler.ru islamov-bobur@mail.ru