The Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute is participating in the international project ‘DATA 4 CRM – Geological surveys supporting the exploration of critical raw materials in Uzbekistan’, which will be realised between 2026 and 2029. A delegation from the Institute took part in the kick-off meeting.

The aim of the project is to improve the understanding of the occurrence of critical raw materials in Uzbekistan and to develop modern methods for their exploration and documentation. Critical raw materials, such as lithium, graphite, tungsten and vanadium, play a key role in the energy transition and the development of modern technologies, including the production of batteries, electric vehicles, and electronic devices.

The project is funded by the European Union and the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Support from the Uzbek government and state administration will facilitate access to archived geological data and enable fieldwork to be conducted in selected research areas. The implementation of the project will yield new information on the geological structure of Uzbekistan and the potential for critical raw materials. It will also provide an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between European geological services and the institutions responsible for geological research and the raw materials sector in Uzbekistan.

The official launch of the project took place during a recent meeting in Tashkent. Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister of Mining and Geology, R.P. Yusupov, emphasised the importance of developing modern exploration technologies, implementing international standards for resource estimation, and expanding laboratory facilities. Representatives of Uzbek institutions presented the most important projects related to the exploration of mineral resources, including deposits of gold, graphite, lithium, tungsten, molybdenum, copper, titanium, vanadium, nickel, niobium, manganese, REEs and other strategic metals.

Participants of the meeting during the deliberations

During the working sessions, the project partners clarified the scope of activities for each institution. The PGI-NRI delegation, represented by Prof. Stanisław Mikulski, Deputy Director of PGI-NRI for Research and Scientific Support of the State Geological Service, and Radomir Pachytel, took part in discussions on mineralogical and geochemical research and the processing of geological data, confirming the Institute’s commitment to performing these tasks.

One of the meetings held as part of the project. First on the right – Prof. Stanisław Mikulski

As part of the project, three potential areas have been identified for detailed field surveys. The final selection of the location should take place by the end of the second quarter of 2026. The first reconnaissance trip is planned for the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarter of this year. The work will include preliminary mineralogical observations, sampling, and geochemical studies, which will enable a better assessment of the selected area's mineral potential.

The PGI-NRI’s participation in the DATA 4 CRM project is one more example of the Institute’s involvement in international research initiatives related to mineral resource exploration and Europe’s raw material security.

The project is led by the Geological Survey of Finland. The European consortium consists of the Polish Geological Institute – PGI, the Czech Geological Survey, the French Geological Survey, the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, and the EuroGeoSurveys association. The partners from Uzbekistan are Uzbekgeology Exploration, Institute of Mineral Resources, Center for Subsurface Use and Technological Metals Complex.

Introduction to the geology of Uzbekistan