On 19 May 2026, the University of Geological Sciences hosted the kick-off meeting of DATA4CRM, “Developing geological research to support exploration for critical raw materials (CRM) in Uzbekistan”, as part of the launch of the EU–Uzbekistan CRM project, the Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology reported the same day.
Deputy Minister R. Yusupov opened the meeting. It brought together EuroGeoSurveys members — the geological surveys of Finland (GTK), the Czech Republic (ČGS) and France (BRGM), Poland’s PGI-NRI and Germany’s BGR — and the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan, with staff of the ministry, the Uzbekistan Technological Metals Combine, O‘zbekgeologiyaqidiruv, the Subsoil Use Centre and the Institute of Mineral Resources.
On the first day, participants discussed how the project will be carried out, Uzbekistan’s scientific capacity in critical raw materials and the projects already under way.
Why it matters
The project is about minerals rather than geothermal energy, but it builds links with European geological surveys that geothermal exploration can also draw on.
