What Minerals Operating does

Minerals Operating Ltd. is a Kazakhstan-based, full-cycle geological exploration and mining consulting firm registered in the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) under English common law. Founded in 2019 and holding License No. AFSA-A-LA-2020-0004 (one of the first mineral resource consultant licenses in the country), the company provides integrated services spanning mining research, geological exploration, technical consulting under KAZRC/JORC/NI 43-101 standards, drilling operations under the EM Drilling sub-brand, mine design and optimization, legal and licensing support, and environmental documentation. It serves mining companies exploring and producing solid minerals (gold, copper, silver, nickel-cobalt, iron ore, coal, polymetallic) across Kazakhstan, plus international investors requiring bankable reports and government bodies including the Ministry of Industry and Construction.

The company's underlying technology stack centers on an owned fleet of crawler-mounted core drilling rigs (BQ up to 3,000m, NQ up to 2,500m, HQ up to 1,900m, PQ up to 650m) equipped with wireline core recovery systems and dedicated auxiliary vehicles, mobile housing, core cutting stations, and geophysical logging units. Field operations feed a proprietary Geological-Geophysical Information System (GGIS) via encrypted tablet uploads, enabling real-time digital core logging, standardized high-DPI core photography, geophysical well logging, multi-layer QA/QC with CRM and independent laboratory verification, and long-term core storage under controlled humidity and temperature. Scientific and technical activity accreditation extends to 2031.

Minerals Operating generates revenue through project-based professional services contracts, priced per metre drilled or per project for consulting engagements. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales: direct relationships with mining operators, partnerships with international investors, participation in regional mining events such as MINEX Central Asia, and ongoing engagement with Kazakhstani government ministries. Distribution is direct (no resellers), with delivery executed by field brigades and drilling teams operating from offices in Astana (HQ) and Almaty.

Name

Minerals Operating

Legal name

Minerals Operating Ltd.

Website

https://moperating.kz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Minerals Operating Ltd. is a Kazakhstan-based, AIFC-registered mining consultancy delivering full-cycle geological exploration, drilling (EM Drilling), KAZRC/JORC/NI 43-101 consulting, mine design, and environmental/legal services to mining companies, international investors, and government bodies operating across Kazakhstan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mining Geological Exploration & Consulting Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Metal Mining (213114), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Support Activities for Mining (21311)

SIC

Metal Mining (1000)

akta.pro primary industry

Mineral Exploration & Geoscience Services (Geology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Resource Modeling) (IMAKAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mine Operations Contracting (Open-Pit & Underground Development, Production, Load/Haul) (IMAKAKAD), Project & Construction Management (EPCM, Owner’s Engineer, Scheduling/Controls) (IMAKAOAG), Mine Surveying & Geospatial Services (Survey, Drone/LiDAR, GIS, Grade Control) (IMAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Geological exploration services
• Mining consulting
• Mineral resource estimation
• Core drilling operations
• Mine design services

Headquarters

HQ city

Astana

HQ country

Kazakhstan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Geological Exploration Services: Full-cycle exploration services including surface and underground drilling, core logging, sampling, geophysical surveys, and resource estimation. Revenue generated through project-based professional services contracts.
2. Drilling Operations: Own drilling fleet (EM Drilling brand) provides core drilling services. Revenue is earned through drilling contracts, priced per metre drilled and per project.
3. Technical Consulting: Resource and reserve estimation under KAZRC, JORC, and NI 43-101 standards; technical due diligence; independent project audits; feasibility studies and economic assessments.
4. Mining Engineering Design: Design of mining plans (Plany Gornykh Rabot / PGR), mine design, technical-economic justifications (TEO), and environmental documentation required for mining licenses.
5. Legal and Licensing Support: Legal support for subsoil use licensing, contract amendments, government liaison, and regulatory compliance throughout the license lifecycle.
6. Environmental Services: Environmental documentation (OVOS/OVEO), environmental impact assessments, emission calculations, waste management planning, and regulatory compliance support.
7. Mining Research and R&D: Applied research and experimental development including 3D geological modelling, methods for 'blind' ore body detection, and evaluation of technogenic deposits. Accredited as a scientific and technical activity subject through 2031.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Minerals Operating provides full-cycle geological exploration and mining consultancy services in Kazakhstan, from early-stage exploration through to production planning. Core offerings include surface and underground drilling (own EM Drilling fleet), geological exploration to KAZRC/JORC/NI 43-101 standards, technical consulting and reserve estimation, mine design and optimisation, environmental (OVOS) documentation, legal support for subsoil use licensing, and applied mining research. Services are delivered to mining companies, international investors, and government bodies by in-house geologists and field crews under AIFC English common law.

Product overview

Minerals Operating is a full-service geological and mining consultancy offering an integrated portfolio of professional services spanning the entire mining project lifecycle. The core offerings include Mining Research (feasibility studies, mine design, reserve assessment), Exploration Work (field exploration to international reporting standards), Technical Consulting (KAZRC/JORC/NI 43-101 reporting, project audits), Drilling Operations under the EM Drilling brand (modern core drilling fleet with depths to 3000m), Ecology services (environmental documentation per Kazakhstan law), Legal Support (licensing and subsoil use compliance), and Mining Design/Optimization (mine development and extraction planning). The company operates as a unified consultancy rather than a software platform, providing these services as interconnected professional offerings that guide clients from initial geological assessment through licensing, exploration, development planning, and production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mining Research (Исследования в области горного дела) Professional mining research services including preparation of feasibility studies (TEO), mine design and planning, mineral resource assessment, and market analysis to help clients implement projects of any complexity.
• Exploration Work (Геологоразведочные работы) Full-cycle geological exploration services from historical data analysis to international-standard reporting (JORC, NI 43-101), including exploration programme design, drilling programme development, and resource/reserve estimation.
• Technical Consulting (Технический консалтинг) Expert consulting on mineral resource and reserve evaluation per KAZRC and international standards JORC and NI 43-101, including KAZRC report preparation, geological exploration and resource assessment, project audit and verification, and regulatory compliance advisory.
• Drilling Operations (Буровые работы) / EM Drilling Core drilling services under the EM Drilling brand, featuring a modern fleet of tracked drilling rigs capable of BQ, NQ, HQ, and PQ coring to depths of 650–3000 m, with full auxiliary equipment including vehicles, mobile housing, core cutting stations, and geophysical survey units.
• Legal Support (Правовое сопровождение) Comprehensive legal support for subsoil use, including licensing assistance, contract negotiation with government bodies, exploration programme development, and ongoing compliance monitoring throughout the licence lifecycle.
• Ecology / Environmental Services (Экология) Environmental documentation development per Kazakhstan's Ecological Code, including environmental impact assessments (OVOS), emission inventories, waste passports, remediation plans, and regulatory compliance support for mining operations.
• Mining Design / Optimization (Проектирование горных работ) Mine planning and design services including mine development access planning, site preparation infrastructure, extraction methods for minimising mineral losses, mining work plan (PGR) development, and process optimisation for cost reduction.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3D geological models and reserve estimates accepted by international investors and stock exchanges
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Christmann Geologische BeratungminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 November 2025Long-standing collaboration with Ilya Kristman, a geologist operating under the Christmann Geologische Beratung brand based in Germany. Minerals Operating handles technical work (modelling, data processing, reserve calculations), while Kristman contributes expertise in ore geology where deep specialisation is needed. Remote collaboration has been the norm, with in-person meetings to sync on joint project outcomes and future plans. The partnership is characterised by mutual professional trust and shared work standards.
• MSA - Minerals Consulting Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2025Minerals Operating Ltd. and MSA - Minerals Consulting Ltd. jointly created a unique educational opportunity for Nazarbayev University students to apply their knowledge to real production challenges. The partnership involved a student competition with participants analysing real deposits, with winning works awarded and all participants receiving professional feedback from industry experts. This collaboration is framed as an investment in the development of the entire mining-geological industry, combining theory with practical experience.
• EM DrillingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEM Drilling is the company's own drilling services division providing core drilling services across Kazakhstan. The JV is presented as part of Minerals Operating's full-service offering, with local specialists working under foreign expert supervision to execute drilling projects to schedule and quality standards.
• Turan ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTuran Resources is the client and development partner for the Aktas I and Aktas II gold deposit exploration project. Minerals Operating served as the key contractor, delivering exploration, drilling, and geological modelling services, with Turan Resources planning to build a gold processing plant (1.2 million tonnes/year capacity) based on the results.
• TOO ORKENcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTOO ORKEN is the client for the Western Karazhal geological exploration project. Minerals Operating conducted comprehensive surface and underground exploration (2021-2022) and KAZRC-compliant resource assessment. Results served as the basis for ORKEN's strategic mine development planning.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Kazgeology (National Geological Survey): Kazakhstan's national geological survey providing publicly funded geological mapping and data. Comparable as a regional player in Kazakh mineral exploration services and data.

Broad incumbents

• RPMGlobal (now part of Mining Solutions): Large mining advisory and software firm offering consulting, mine planning and technical studies. Adjacent competitor to Minerals Operating with broader product portfolio and deeper resources.
• Micromine: Mining software and services provider offering geological modelling, mine planning and resource estimation tools. Comparable to Minerals Operating's use of 3D geological modelling and GGIS digital core workflow.

Direct peers

• Mining Plus: Mining services firm offering geology, resource estimation, mine planning and feasibility services. Comparable to Minerals Operating's full-cycle geological and mining consulting offering.
• SRK Consulting: Global mining consultancy offering resource estimation, feasibility studies and JORC/NI 43-101 reporting. Directly comparable to Minerals Operating's technical consulting and resource estimation work, with much broader international reach.
• Snowden Optiro: Mining consultancy specialising in resource estimation, geological modelling and JORC/NI 43-101 reporting. Directly comparable to Minerals Operating's technical consulting and competent person services.
• CSA Global: Mining consultancy delivering resource estimation, reporting under international codes and exploration support. Directly comparable to Minerals Operating's KAZRC/JORC/NI 43-101 consulting practice and project portfolio.
• MSA – Minerals Consulting Ltd. Kazakh mining consultancy that has collaborated with Minerals Operating on student competitions and industry programmes. Comparable as a domestic peer in Kazakh mining consulting and competency development.
• Wardell Armstrong International: International geological and mining consultancy active across the CIS and Central Asia, providing resource estimation and mine design. Comparable to Minerals Operating in services offered and Central Asian footprint.
• AMC Consultants: Mining consultancy providing geological modelling, mine planning and feasibility studies. Directly comparable to Minerals Operating's mine planning, optimisation and technical consulting offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/minerals-operating-ltd
• Facebookfacebook.com/Minerals-Operating-100069101810017

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Minerals Operating