The Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision in Kyrgyzstan has proposed changes to the boundaries of the state natural national park "Chon-Kemin." This proposal aims to include two rare-earth element deposits, Kutessai-II and beryllium deposit Kalesay, outside the park's boundaries to attract investments in the mining sector.
Previously, the government reported that Kutessai-II holds 51.5 thousand tons of ore, potentially increasing to 75 thousand tons after further exploration. The ore contains elements such as molybdenum, bismuth, lead, beryllium, and silver.
In 2009, plans were made to exclude areas "Ak-Tuz" and "Okorkoi" from the Chon-Kemin park, covering about 90% of its territory. However, this decision was revoked in 2012. In January 2024, the Prime Minister instructed a review of Chon-Kemin's boundaries.
Stans Energy Corp. acquired a 20-year license for Kutessai-II in 2009 and purchased the rare-earth elements plant "Kaska" in May 2011. Operations ceased when the company lost its license. Stans Energy sought compensation from Kyrgyzstan, leading to a legal battle that ended with a $118 million ruling against Kyrgyzstan in international arbitration in Canada.
